


Mad Love: Psychotic Ex-Death Eaters and The Witches that Love Them

by Fantasticlavendercrystals



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, Batman DC Comics - Freeform, F/M, Mental Health Issues, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-04-20 11:42:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 42,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14260194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantasticlavendercrystals/pseuds/Fantasticlavendercrystals
Summary: Summary: Hermione Granger works at a wizarding psychiatric facility, and she dreads getting assigned to the problem-patient Draco Malfoy, who only talks to her. Why is that? 'Grrrraaaannnngeeerrr' Draco loudly whispered. 'That's the first time he's spoke, in any sort of way, in three years.' Loosely based off Paul Dini's and Bruce Timm's 'Mad Love' Harley Quinn/Joker comic. Also takes inspiration from 'The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris. Multiple chapters to come.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Harry Potter or the comic Mad Love or The Silence of The Lambs(as described above). This story is purely non-profit and for entertainment purposes only.  
> You don't need an understanding of either inspirations to enjoy this story, although it will add an additional element of fun for those that do. 
> 
> WARNING: Depictions of ALL kinds of mental health, as well as mentions and sometimes descriptions of child abuse and other abuse, occur in this story. I DO NOT SUPPORT abuse of any kind: it is totally and utterly wrong, but unfortunately it happens. Thus, I describe it in my works as sensitively as I can in a given work. Minor warnings include swearing, drinking, dark literature references, sexual innuendos, sex, and generally dark subject matter. Proceed with caution. Basically, if you are NOT legally an adult (as in the UK) aged 18 or over, or feel you would be triggered by anything mentioned above, then please don't read. Thank you. 
> 
> If you are old enough to be reading this story, and are fine with the warnings, (and they don't apply to you) then please go ahead and enjoy the story!

_**Mad Love: Psychotic Ex-Death Eaters and The Witches that Love Them** _

 

* * *

_**Chapter One - Healer Hermione Granger** _

* * *

'I must say, Healer Granger, I am surprised you chose to work here, in The Lucian Criminal Asylum: I would have thought a witch of your intellect and education record could have chosen to work anywhere.' Healer Leland told Healer Hermione Granger as she shut the door entrance to another ward. It was Healer Granger's first day at the Asylum and it was Healer Leland's job to give her a complete tour of the facility.

The Lucian Criminal Asylum was not an old asylum, as the name may suggest, quite the opposite, as it had only been three years since it had opened. What was once Malfoy Manor and its grounds being now The Lucian Asylum, which was a branch of Azkaban prison (and had the same board of directors), but it was reserved only for the so-called 'criminally insane witches and wizards' and from what she had seen so far, Hermione could believe that. There were witches and wizards here who had been talking to the flies around the poop they had just defecated in their cell (despite the fact all cells came with toilets and basins): witches who had tried to _Avada_ themselves, wizards who had cut into their own arms with nothing but muggle pencils. It was horrifying, and Healer Hermione Granger could only hope she could handle the demands of the hospital.

'I know. But after the war, I wanted to continue doing some good for the wizarding community and although it may seem strange, but I felt I could…relate to these people in some way.' Healer Granger admitted to her supervisor.

Healer Leland nodded: 'I can understand your reasoning Healer Granger, but I can tell you right now that you will soon find that you _will not_ be able to relate to a single one of these patients. In the three years I have worked here, I have discovered the patients I worked with are far more impulsive, reckless and are much more hard-core psychotics than any patient I've ever worked with in the muggle Broadmoor hospital.'

'You worked in Broadmoor?'

'Indeed. Before this place, there were barely any opportunities for Psych-Healers such as myself in the wizarding world, and thus being a muggleborn I chose to return to the muggle world after finishing Hogwarts to become a psychiatrist. Although nothing could have prepared me for this place. Some of these people would soon kill you as look you.' Leland told Granger quietly as they reached the entrance to the only ward Healer Granger had yet to see. 'I must say though, Healer Granger, it's a small blessing that you applied and accepted this intern position: I've had so many wannabe journalists apply in order to get a cash in and write a tell-all book about the more high-profile patients here: it was ever so tiresome weeding them out.' Leland said, shaking her head as she looked into the deep pockets of her white coat.

'I can assure you that I don't intend to cash in on your patients. You may call me Hermione, by the way.' Hermione Granger told her supervisor.

'And you may call me Joanna. I doubt you would be a cash in journalist from what I've read about you over the years, Hermione.' Healer Leland replied as she finally discovered a chain of gold keys inside her pockets. Hermione smiled back at the middle-aged lady modestly. 'Here we are, we are almost at the end of our tour, and so it's time I welcomed you to The Lily Ward.' Joanna said as she began to unlock the many locks on the double doors of the entrance.

Hermione tensed. All wards in Lucian were named after famous witches and wizards, in this case Lily Potter (one of the bravest witches of all time, according to several newspapers), but that wasn't the reason Hermione had tensed – the reason she tensed was because The Lily Ward was renowned even outside the Asylums grounds, as being filled with the most dangerous, psychotic, and volatile patients, some of whom, also happened to be Ex-Deatheaters.

Still, she summoned all other Gryffindor bravery and followed Healer Leland inside, jumping when the double doors slammed loudly behind her, trapping them inside. Hermione jumped even more when one of the patients jumped up at the glass of his cell and started to bang on the glass and scream imaginary words and hexes at the healers. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened to Hermione that day, but it still panicked her all the same.

'You get used to that, somehow.' Joanna told Hermione and gestured her to continue walking down the ward. 'So, this is The Lily Ward. The ward for patients who pose the most significant risk to other patients and themselves. Therefore, we pose equally significant boundaries for these patients. All staff are to keep behind these red lines you'll see on either side of the floor. No exceptions. This is so that you don't interfere with the multitude of charms that have been placed on the cell's glass. Unlike the other wards you've seen, a single protection charm was not enough for these patients.' Joanna said. Hermione nodded. She knew this already from her extensive studying back when she was training to be an intern at Lucian.

'The patients do not just suffer from psychosis, as the papers would have you believe, but also PTSD, depression, Schizophrenia and anxiety, amongst other conditions.' Healer Leland explained, and smiled once she realised Hermione had been reciting her lines which had been included in her _An Introduction to Lucian Asylum_ textbook. 'I'm glad you know your research, and more specifically, my textbook.'

'Thank you, Joanna.' Hermione replied.

'You may recognise some of these faces from the Second Wizarding War. However, I urge you not presume anything about any patient – Death Eater history or no Death Eater history – is that understood?' Healer Leland said with authority.

'Yes, Healer Leland.'

'Good.'

They had reached the end of the ward and as Hermione turned around she noticed a peculiar patient to her left. 'Excuse me Joanna, but who is that patient in the last cell on the left?'

'Ah yes, I wondered if you'd ask about him. That would be Mr Draco Malfoy. A problem patient if ever there was one. His mother dropped him off here, without a word, just as it opened three years ago about six months after the end of the war. She refused to answer any questions about her son and only visited him a handful of times in the first year since Mr Malfoys admittance here, after that I believe his condition became too much for her to witness. He's steadily becoming more psychotic and more disconnected with reality. At first, he was just deathly silent: now, just last week he strangled a nursing healer who had been given instructions to clean his cell to his death and tried _to eat his liver._ ' Hermione watched Joanna fail to hold back her shiver as she spoke. Hermione shivered too at the mere recitation before looking back at the patient Malfoy.

He didn't hold any physical resemblance to the boy who had studied and bullied her at Hogwarts. The man in the cell was skeletal and sat in a feral position after being magically bound to the floor of his cell. His vast locks of dirty white-blonde hair covered pretty much his entire body.

'Get back, Healer Granger!' Joanna suddenly shouted and yanked Hermione's arm. Hermione turned to stare at her supervisor in shock until she realised she had stood a cm over the red line a foot away from Malfoy's cell.

She turned to back to Malfoy's cell to see him staring at her with wide grey eyes.

' _Grrrraaaannnngeeerrr'_ Draco loudly whispered in a long, sore voice. Hermione stood back as he spoke. She needn't have worried for as soon as soon as it had happened, Malfoy's head jerked away from view.

'Well…that was _interesting_.' Healer Leland commented as she tapped Hermione's arm and they started to walk towards the ward's exit.

'What's interesting?' Hermione asked, confused.

'That's the first time he's spoke, in any sort of way, in three years.' Joanna Leland said.

* * *

****


	2. The First Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hermione officially becomes Draco's healer/therapist.

**_Chapter Two –_ ** **The First Session  **

* * *

By the time Hermione saw Malfoy again six months had passed, and she was thrilled that Healer Leland had considered that she had done a good enough job that she had promoted her from intern to an official Psych-Healer. Now as she stood in the break room with the other official healers, Psych-Healer Granger had never felt prouder of herself.

'Here comes another resignation.' Psych-Healer Neville Longbottom said as he sipped his morning coffee. Hermione turned around to see Psych-Healer Quinn enter the break-room, her eyes and face blackened with tear-laced mascara.

'I can't do this anymore! Malfoy's an _animal!_ A fucking animal!' Healer Quinn cried, wiping her runny nose on her coat's sleeve. She was headed for the exit.

'Healer Quinn! Healer _Leena_ Quinn! Stop running away like a coward!' Healer Leland called after her. Her face seemed to have more wrinkles than Hermione remembered seeing her as having when she first started her internship. Joanna Leland was fast enough to catch up with the distressed young healer.

'Joanna, I'm so sorry but I just can't do this! I quit!' Healer Quinn shouted at her now ex-boss. She freed her arm from Leland's firm grasp and ran out of the break-room and towards the exit.

Every healer in the room watched Healer Leland's face go from annoyed, to sad, to completely blank. Although Joanna never looked surprised. Everyone at the Asylum knew that there wasn't a single healer there that had lasted more than two months once they were assigned to the patient Draco Malfoy.

'What am I to do?' Healer Leland murmured to herself, quiet enough that only Hermione, who had been sat in the chair closest to the middle-aged healer, thought that she was the only one who had heard her.

'Why don't you let Healer Granger take over Healer Quinn's work?' Healer Napier suggested. Hermione scowled at her. Healer Anastasia Napier had been a thorn in her side since the second day of Hermione's internship. Despite the fact that Hermione could not remember doing anything wrong either in her job or to the thirty-year-old woman personally, Napier had always seemed to loathe her. Napier went out of her way to undermine all of Hermione's opinions and made fun of her ''muggleborn'' status (although Hermione could tell that she was always wanting to use ''mudblood'' instead of ''muggleborn'' by her tone) despite the fact that Napier was a Half-blood with a muggle father herself. Napier also loved to point out fact that she was far wealthier and had (in her opinion) a much more thorough education at Beauxbatons than Hermione had at Hogwarts. Hermione had considered reporting her to Joanna, after Neville had suggested it, but hadn't done so, not wanting to be seen as a trouble-maker in the early days of employment.

'A most interesting proposal, Healer Napier.' Healer Leland replied to Napier, who smiled wolfishly.

'Healer Leland, you can't be serious!' Neville gasped. 'Malfoy would kill Hermione. He hates her and has done throughout school.'

'Please do not talk back to me, Longbottom.' Healer Leland snapped, like she was a Hogwarts professor. Neville reddened and said nothing. 'I am well aware of Healer Granger's previous relationship towards the patient, as we've had many drinks together over the course of her internship.' Joanna flashed Hermione a small smile, to which the younger witch returned.

'However, the singular thing I had deduced from Healer Quinn's two months of working with Mr Malfoy is that he no longer seems to remember anything from his adult or years at Hogwarts and he refuses to talk about his childhood. Although since the first day of Healer Granger's internship, Draco Malfoy has uttered sentences of three words at least.' Healer Leland said. 'It seems she awoken his voice. Yes, I don't know how I didn't reach this conclusion earlier. Healer Granger?'

'Yes?' Hermione squeaked.

'From now on Mr Draco Malfoy will be your primary patient for the foreseeable future, is that clear?'

'Yes, Healer Leland.' Hermione said, noticing how Joanna used the words "is that clear" rather than "do you agree" which was the far more common term the healer used.

'Good. Your break time's over. I want you to see Mr Draco Malfoy right away, Healer Granger. Nurse Kowalski is head nurse on The Lily Ward at the moment.' Healer Leland said before heading out of the break-room, probably going to her office so that she can have another Malfoy-fuelled meltdown in her office.

'You don't have to do this 'Mione.' Neville told Hermione gently. 'Just refuse.'

'And lose the job I've worked so hard for?'

'Hermione, you don't understand.' Neville said, shaking his head. 'Luna worked here up until four months ago, when she was told by Leland to take on the Malfoy case. He completely _butchered_ half of Luna's face and he didn't even use any magic. She's still in St. Mungos now, that's why you haven't seen her. Leland sends in female healers in the hopes he'll have a soft spot for them but she's too damn blind to realise that **that is** ** _far_** **from the fucking case**.' Neville said, his voice rising into a shout as he spoke. It made Hermione tremble when Neville swore, he hardly ever did. But she understood that there were several rumours the two were casually dating over the years. Neville's reaction seemed to confirm these rumours as he began to cry at the memory of Luna's own agony and sorrow.

Hermione wrapped her arms around her friend and patted his back gently as he cried into her white coat.

After ten minutes, Neville's sobs subdued a little and he released her from his embrace.

'I'm so sorry Neville, but I have to go.' Hermione told Neville and went to leave.

'Finally. Another minute I would have to report you both to Leland for defying her orders.' Anastasia Napier said.

'Oh, shut it _Anastasia_.' Hermione retorted grinning as she knew how much Anastasia Napier hated being called her full-forename much preferring 'Anna' or 'Stacey'.

* * *

Hermione walked like she was on a death march to The Lily Ward. Her breath was rising and falling rapidly with each step of her heels. How on earth could anyone expect her to heal Draco Malfoy? The boy who had taunted her, humiliated her, who _hated_ her throughout Hogwarts? It was a real fucking joke, and Hermione felt angry at Leland for making her, of all people, go through with it. Clearly the Asylum didn't abide by the same ethics that muggle mental health hospitals did – Hermione had always thought that you weren't allowed to have any sort of personal relationships with your patients.

Nurse Kowalski, an overweight African-American man, was stood outside the entrance to The Lily ward. 'Healer Leland says that I'm to escort you to your new patient'. To Hermione's surprise, Kowalski was one of the few members of staff that didn't hold a ghost of fear in their eyes at the mention of Malfoy's name. Instead Nurse Kowalski just smiled at her before opening the entrance doors.

'If I were you, I'd let him start whatever the Hell he calls a conversation.' Nurse Kowalski whispered in her ear as they walk towards Malfoy's cell. 'It worked best that way for Healer Quinn.'

'Thanks for the tip, Nurse Kowalski.' Hermione whispered back. Kowalski holds out a large hand for her to shake.

'Call me Barney, please. Nobody except Leland calls me "Nurse Kowalski".' Nurse Barney Kowalski says as Hermione shakes his hand. 'I'm Hermione.' Hermione said in reply.

'He's – Draco Malfoy, I mean – has been alright for most of today. He's been a bit – well, a bit, err, _depressed_ I guess is the word, since Healer – I mean Miss Quinn quit. He's been less hostile than usual since I've been on duty. I'd like to say I'm his favourite, as I don't bother or pester him more than I really have to.' Kowal - Barney said.

They had reached Malfoy's cell. Malfoy was lied on his bed looking almost lifeless as he was that still. Both Barney and Hermione cleared their throats to acknowledge their presence but that provided zero response. Hermione couldn't see his face under the thick and heavy blankets, which in this instance reminded Hermione of a corpse being in a morgue.

'Mr Malfoy, I'm, I'm Psych-Healer Hermione Granger, you might remember me from sch-school. I would be very grateful if we could have a little chat.' Hermione began, completely disregarding Barney's advice after five minutes of Malfoy being utterly unresponsive to any more subtle forms of communication.

Hermione turned and saw Graham Montage lied on his cell-bed under the thick white blankets.

'Help – I've cut my self – look at the blood!' Montague shrieked and suddenly a piece of sperm was flung right passed the cell "glass" and straight onto Hermione's unfortunate cheek. Hermione could have puked as she wiped the offensive substance off with a bit of her white coat.

She turned back to Malfoy and was shocked to see his upper-body upright in his bed. Malfoy moved in almost snake-like movements over the edge of his cell, looking her in the eyes before looking back at her cheek.

' _Grrraanngggeerrr.'_ He whispered before he sat up off his stomach and crossed his legs. 'That was terribly ugly what just happened to you, but you do look so _attractive_ when you're mad.' Draco Malfoy said. He sounded so _sane_ almost, a lot more like the snarky boy she'd met at Hogwarts all those years ago. But Hermione was not paying attention to Malfoy's words. No. Hermione was paying her attention to the bloody Chester smile that had been freshly cut into his face.

She quickly turned to look towards Barney for advice on how to proceed but he and the other orderlies that had been standing around for such a assistance where too busy dragging Montague to solitary confinement. Hermione winced as she watched a much-older orderly beat Montague's face violently to the ground.

She turned back to Malfoy, who was a much better alternative, to the grotesque sight of the staff beating their patients. She'd tell Healer Leland later.

'Why did you cut your face Mal – Draco?' Hermione asks quietly.

'Are you so sure I did?' Draco's cold smile did not meet his grey eyes.

'Who else would want to hurt you?'

Draco shrugged: 'You tell me, _doctor.'_

Hermione didn't know what to say to that, thus she changed the topic of conversation. 'Do you know why you're in here?'

At that question, Draco hissed like a literal snake and flinched away from her. His face went from a kind of _curious_ expression to an impossibly blank one.

'Okay, you don't have to answer that if you don't wish to. Do you want to talk a bit about your past? Any part?' Hermione urged. Draco's face remained as perfectly blank as a world-class poker player.

'Do you want to talk at all?'

No answer.

Hermione asked a series of typical-therapy questions she had had drilled into her brain during her training as an intern. Draco didn't even so much as blink – which petrified Hermione.

In the end she had to give up and went to Healer Leland's office to report her failed therapy session.

Healer Leland merely nodded at her narrative of events, scribbling in the countless notebooks on her office desk. 'To me it sounds like an extremely successful therapy session, considering the nature of your patient.'

'What? Healer Leland Malfoy – I mean _Draco_ Malfoy spoke no more than twenty words to me – that isn't exactly a successful first session. I think maybe you should appoint -'

Healer Leland silences Healer Granger with a slam of her notebook as she stands. 'No. don't even consider asking me to appoint someone else as Malfoy speaks to no one but you, Healer Granger. To suggest otherwise is ludicrous. With Healer Napier, Healer Lovegood, Healer Abbott and all the other bloody healers I've sent to take care of him have come back bloody or in body bags. With you, it's different. End of story. Leave my office now and go home, Healer Granger.' Healer Leland almost shouts before sitting back in her desk chair.

Hermione turns to leave, shocked, before she remembers. 'Healer Leland?'

'What now?'

'The orderlies in The Lily Ward. Today – they – they beat up Graham Montague, a patient.'

Healer Leland shrugged. 'I suppose after all of this, that is the least of my problems. Now please, go _Hermione.'_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Please leave a review, positive or constructive or both, in the comment box below about this chapter, and please check out my other fanfiction stories, if you haven't already. Thanks to all who left comments about this story; it is because of you this chapter and others are being uploaded here. There will be a quick burst of chapters now so my archiveofourown readers can catch up with my fanfiction.net readers :)  
> Also, a "Chester Smile" is a term for a cut in the lips, very much alike Heath Ledger's Joker smile in The Dark Knight.  
> Love,  
> Lavendercrystals xx


	3. A Therapeutic Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hermione argues that Draco has "a therapeutic right."

_**Chapter Three – A Therapeutic Right ** _

* * *

Hermione was completely and utterly exhausted when she returned home to her apartment. The apartment was small in size, but it was sophisticated place, in a nearby town close to The Lucian Criminal Asylum. It had all the essentials: a comfortable grey leather sofa, Hermione-approved rows of bookshelves across every wall except in the bathroom, a large television and radio, a kitchen with black and white décor, and a bedroom that was decorated with red bedding. The apartment was covered in rather boring dark wooden flooring and had white walls that Hermione had not gotten round to repainting with her work schedule – although she had managed to put some muggle and magical paintings on the walls (which were mostly of her friends).

_Damn,_ Hermione thought, _Ron and Harry are coming for dinner and I have less than an hour to get something together._ She wished she had never had agreed to this, wished she'd accepted Harry's offer of going to Grimmauld Place instead. But after her Ron's constant reminders about how intense and stressful their jobs as Aurors were, she had said that she'd cook them dinner. _I've never regretted a decision more,_ Hermione says internally as she flicks through a cookbook she had received as a cheap Christmas gift from Merlin knows who.

_Asian Beef Noodles? Okay, its exotic, and I never have been the most amazing cook, but we are celebrating supposed to be Harry's birthday, what the heck, I'll give it a shot,_ Hermione decides and goes to get the ingredients from the fridge. She supposed she could cook the food with magic but being raised by muggles, Hermione preferred to do it the manual way.

The noodles took far less time to make than she had expected and thus Hermione had just less than half-an-hour to whip up some salad for the meal and cast a few cleaning charms to make her apartment look pristine, before Ron and Harry flooed in.

'You're here.' She smiled as she pulled them both into a group hug and gave Ron a long kiss on the cheek before pulling away again.

'I wouldn't miss your cooking for the world, Mione.' Ron said and Hermione playfully slapped his arm.

'Ow.'

'You deserved it. Well then, go on, take your seats, I'll serve dinner.' Hermione says and the boys do as she says.

Hermione notices Harry doesn't speak a word throughout dinner, although she doubts that he or anyone would be able to butt in during Ron's excited rants about finally completing his Auror training only two weeks ago and how he was at the same level as Harry now.

'So, Harry, what about you? How is your work life?' Hermione asked as she scrapped the last bits of her delicious noodles off her plate. _Score one to me_.

Harry didn't look away from his plate. 'It's same as always except…' Harry trailed off and Hermione knew that it was because he had a lot of confidential secrets built up in his head – all Aurors did.

'Except for The Bloodsucker.' Ron said. Harry's head snapped up and gave his best friend a warning stare. Everyone knew they weren't meant to discuss missions with anyone. 'C'mon Harry don't look at me like that. He's all over the papers.'

'I haven't had the chance to read the papers, work is so demanding.' Hermione says.

'How is work, Mione?' Harry asked.

'Difficult – I got a new patient.' Hermione said and she knew her disapproval would be written all over her face.

'Who?'

'I can't say Ron – its confidential.' Ron looked at her confused, but Harry gave her a nod of understanding.

'This is a load of horse-crap Hermione. I know you say you love your job but that so called Asylum is a bloody joke. They wouldn't even let me and Harry question Luna Lovegood at St. Mungos last week after she left that looney bin with half her face _missing.'_

'Ron! Patient confidentiality, remember?' Both Hermione and Harry shout together.

'You know what, loved your food Hermione, but screw this! If you two don't wanna talk and wanna be so weirdly secretive then forget it, I'm going to the pub and I'll come back when you're done being weird with your best friends.' Ron huffed and dropped his knife and fork and marched out of Hermione's apartment.

'I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to ruin your birthday celebrations.' Hermione said softly. Harry just returned with a small smile.

'Don't worry about it, Mione. Birthdays don't seem to matter much when you get older.' Harry said. 'Lovely meal you made, by the way.' His smile wasn't matching his concerned green eyes.

'Harry? What is it what's wrong?'

'Nothing.' Hermione kept looking at him sceptically. 'Okay, its just – ever since I defeated Voldemort, I've been feeling lost somehow, like my spirits have gone. I just feel hollow, like I no longer have purpose.' Harry admitted.

'Harry, of course you have purpose – you're an Auror.'

'I know. I went after the job thinking it would give the purpose I desire, that I need. But everyday it seems like I'm wrong. Everyday bad stuff happens, everywhere, all over the world, and sure we do our best to resolve it, and we succeed, but then it keeps coming around, full fucking circle.' Harry said and put his head in his hands.

'I think I understand what you're saying, but Harry, we can only ever try our best to do the right thing. And Harry? I think you should look up some healers to talk this out with, you've been so strangely quiet for months that I think its long past time you seek help for this, well, this depression.'

'Thanks Mione. I will think about it.'

Hermione and Harry didn't speak about anymore "heavy stuff" after that and instead had small talked and watched old muggle movies until Harry had to leave in order to get up in time for work the next day. Hermione hugged her best friend goodbye and dozed off on the sofa until Ron stumbled in from the pub hours later.

She sat up as he almost tripped over himself on the way over to kiss her. Hermione reluctantly kissed him back until his hand found their way to her bra clasp. She pushed his hands away.

'No Ron. I'm too tired. I want to go to bed – and _just sleep_ \- I have work tomorrow.' Hermione insisted. Hermione had been with Ron long enough (six years in fact) to know when the sex would be unsexy and pointless, as Ron would probably be passed out before they even made it to the bedroom.

'You're so boring at times, Mione.' Ron grumbled.

* * *

Hermione left her apartment earlier than usual to avoid a hung-over Ronald Weasley, but regretted that decision when Leland immediately ordered her to go see Draco Malfoy.

She walked to his cell slowly and watched as he started mumbling incoherent noises at her.

'Hello, Draco. Would you like to have a talk with me today?' Out of the corner of her eye she saw Nurse Kowalski give her a look that said: " _did you even bother listening to me?"_

Hermione ignored the Nurse and tried to focus on her patient. 'Draco – Mr Malfoy would you like to talk to me about what brought you in here?' She tried and failed. Draco said nothing and stared into space for almost the entire session, that is before he seemed to get bored of what space had to offer him and started clawing at his own flesh with incredibly long, sharp nails. This caused the orderlies to restrain him in a magically enhanced straitjacket the next time Hermione saw Draco Malfoy. Hermione thought that a straitjacket was a bit too extreme for such an act but didn't say anything as though she would never in a million years admit it, she was a bit frightened of her patient.

A similar set of circumstances happened each day at each one of their sessions. Draco would stare at the wall, and sometimes at her, and for the briefest moment the orderlies, and react with nothing but a flicker of unreadable emotion on his face. It frustrated Hermione. She soon found herself wishing he would utter one word towards her, as this was starting to wind her up.

Even more frustrating was the mass of orderlies that kept growing in numbers, session after session, and whilst the more vulnerable side of Hermione was slightly glad that they were keeping her protected – a much stronger, professional side of Hermione wondered how the orderlies and furthermore Healer Leland could possibly think she could make any progress with so many prying eyes.

After two weeks, she had had enough. She was getting nowhere this way and not being able to try to do her job annoyed Healer Hermione Granger to no end.

She knocked on the door of Healer Joanna Leland's office.

'Enter!' Leland commanded. Hermione did so. 'What is it, Hermione?'

'Joanna, I need to talk to you about Draco Malfoy.'

Joanna slammed the coffee cup in her hand down onto the office desk: 'Not this again, Granger! I've already said, Mr Malfoy is your patient now, deal with it and him for crying out loud, _please.'_

'Healer Leland that is not what I was about to say…' Leland raises a black-coloured eyebrow. 'I was about to suggest that you give me permission to have private therapy sessions with Mr Malfoy…' Leland jaw drops. 'It would provide the space he seems to need to air out his frustrations. I have come to realise that the likely reason he spoke to me was because we had a limited number of people present at our first er, meeting. All the other patients here, the ones I have seen, have had assess to one-and-one session and last night I re-checked the Lucian's policy on patient rights and it stated that "all patients who are capable of one on one therapeutic treatment have the right to have therapeutic treatment." So it is Draco Malfoy's therapeutic right to have one-on-one with his Psych-Healer.' Hermione said confidently.

'That is correct, Healer Granger, but since Mr Malfoy eat the liver of a member of staff I had deemed him incapable of receiving such treatment. But what the Hell, go for it if you're brave enough for the task. Heaven knows the press are starting to pick up the scent of Malfoy's lack of progress here. With the high-standing the Malfoy family at least once had, the Ministry will instantly want to shut this place down to cut costs if it gets even the smallest bit of bad press.' Healer Leland said and sighed.

'Alright Granger, you can go. You won yourself a private therapy session with even _what_ I would call a deranged lunatic. I will sort out the necessary precautions and procedures as soon as possible get on with your other patients. I don't want you neglecting them because of this. _GO!'_ Said Healer Leland as she turned back to her notebooks.

The "necessary precautions and procedures" took a total of two and a half weeks to be sorted, and Hermione didn't inform Draco Malfoy himself until a day before as she didn't want to "get his hopes up", if that was the correct term.

Draco had replied with a tiny nod of his head; it would have been easily ignored and missed if Hermione wasn't paying precise and close attention to her patient's every move.

On the day of their first private session, Draco was escorted in and left buckled down in a hand truck by orderlies for the duration of the session. Whereas he had looked at Hermione blankly for the past weeks, that day he _smiled_ at her for the first time.

'Ah Healer Granger, you look lovely, if I do say so myself, without those beaver-teeth and that bushy head of hair pulled back away from that pretty little face of yours.' Draco said, as if he wasn't an insane ex-Deatheater, a bully who acted like he hated her throughout school, as if he was hitting on a girl in a coffee shop.

Hermione gaped at him in complete and utter shock.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos and comments if you enjoy this story!


	4. Quid Pro Quo I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco tells Hermione to "Quid Pro Quo."

_**Chapter Four – Quid Pro Quo I** _

* * *

_Previously on 'Mad Love'_

' _Ah Healer Granger, you look lovely, if I do say so myself, without those beaver-teeth and that bushy head of hair pulled back away from that pretty little face of yours.'_ _Draco said._

* * *

'I – um – I – I thank you for your compliment, Mr Malfoy.' Hermione stammered, trying to be polite. She flicked open her new notebook – the one that was specifically for notes on Draco Malfoy – and used an enchantment on her quill so that it wrote down everything they said to each other [not unlike Rita Seekter's quill]. His outward appearance was shabby and as feral like as ever. The huge dark circles under his grey eyes were growing bigger by the day. 'How about we keep the session's focus on you, Draco? If I may call you Draco.' When he didn't response but didn't object Hermione continued. 'This is your confidential session and as such I am giving you the free will to talk to me about anything at all on your mind? No one else will know about it. So, what would you like to talk about?'

'You.' Draco stated with a croaky voice that hadn't been used for a good while and an emotionless expression his white face.

'But Draco, this is _your_ session, not mine.'

'I know – I want to talk about you – your scar on left arm. C'mon Granger, quid pro quo.' Draco nods at the sleeve of Hermione's red shirt and white coat. Hermione gave him a look of shock. _Of all the notes to start on trust Malfoy to want to start on a heavy and humiliating note._ 'Don't worry doctor Granger; its only Barney outside that glass door and he has scars of his own. You should ask him how often _he slices and dices,_ I'm sure its quite an anecdote!'

'But – why' Hermione goes to ask but then decides to shove up her sleeves to reveal the "mudblood" scar anyway. She watches Draco's face: he looks at it without feeling except for ' _curiousity?_ ' Hermione said. 'I can see that's the look you are giving me right now.'

Draco nodded but keeps his gaze transfixed on Hermione's scarred flesh. 'I saw this scar – in a dream – you were laid on a dark floor, eyes closed as if you were dead, and yet you looked more beautiful than you even do now as you, with your bushy hair spread all over and your features whilst still angry seemed kinda – _soft_.' Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Draco carried on regardless. 'It was the most beautiful dream I've had in here – it might be the most beautiful dream I have ever had and might even be the most beautiful dream I ever will have. Even if I know a mudblood like you should never behold such beauty.' Draco said. At the last line Hermione was relieved. _At least he hasn't had a complete personality transplant._

'I-I thought you couldn't remember your past?'

'Who told you that? Miss Quinn? Miss Anna Napier? Leland? Who was it Miss Granger?' Draco asked with a rare smirk. His grey eyes dazzled as those eyes acted as if they held secrets that nobody would ever know. If Malfoy could move his arms, his hand would surely be under his chin at that moment.

'Leland.' Hermione muttered. Draco smirked some more.

'That bint? Honestly, _doctor_ , Joanna Leland lives and feeds on assumptions. If I were you, I wouldn't trust a thing she says about anyone.' Draco chuckled darkly. 'You know your disbelief reminds me of Montague, you know the strapping young man you are acquainted with, across my way?' Hermione nodded with a far from pleased expression and clipped at him to "go on". 'Yes, well he was similarly disbelieving when he awoke this morning to see the five-pointed star he had drew himself on his wall; real lovely piece of art doctor; you should go see it when you get the dance; he was raving about it to thee nursing staff all morning saying demons had entered his _home!'_ Draco let out a laugh that you only find in the manic laughs of movie actors playing the insanely evil.

'Draco – Mr Malfoy – this session is about you and no one else – so could you please refer only to yourself please?' Hermione asked or almost pleaded – she had started experiencing flashbacks of Graham Montague getting beaten by orderlies all of a sudden – and she did not want those flashbacks.

'Ah – ah – ah, doctor, this is _my_ session and therefore I get to talk about "anything at all" I want. I want to talk about this.' Draco said, and Hermione guessed that if he could move he'd be wagging his finger at her.

* * *

Draco proceeded to talk more about Montague and his obsession with satanic and pagan rituals that the man raved on and on about and how fascinated Draco was about how easily "good old Monty" could be manipulated. It disturbed Hermione about how obsessed Malfoy was with the fellow patient and even more so when she decided to ask Draco about his obsession:

'Well it is good to surround yourself with friends who can be manipulated, that way at a flick of your wrist, you can get them to kill themselves in your honour.'

Hermione shivered and she shivered even more when she looked at Draco Malfoy's expression: his smile was reminiscent of a Cheshire Cat and he was watching her how she might describe a lion watching a zebra and that smile just did not meet his eyes.

'And that is really how you view your friends?'

'Do you doubt me, Granger?' Draco asked, his smile suddenly disappearing and being replaced with a half-frown and half-scowl on his face.

'No.' Hermione said. It was only after she said the word 'no' that she realised she was in fact telling the truth. Crabbe and Goyle were easily the most easily manipulated idiots in Hogwarts, and Draco Malfoy played a huge role in that. So Hermione deduced what he said must be true.

'Good witch. Now as I was saying about Montague -'

Hermione had to hold back a sigh as he continued to go on and on about Montague, she tried unsuccessfully to deter him but he just wouldn't budge until after half an hour he got bored with the subject and turned to the even more dull subject of just how soft Ex-Healer Quinn's blonde hair was and how she could ever manage to make it look like it had "limitless volume".

Hermione seriously turned up her efforts to deter him from that subject. Hermione knew that Malfoy _had to be saying it to annoy and get to_ her and make fun of the fact that her own hair had always and likely always would be a bushy "birds nest" as Slytherins had always called it. Hermione had threatened to report Healer Quinn, to which Draco replied that it would be "fruitile"(was the word he used) as she no longer worked at The Lucian Asylum. Hermione had then threatened to leave.

'Oh, by all means little Granger, leave. Go back home to your boyfriend and cry about the meanness of Malfoy and lose your job.' Draco said and gave a fleeting small smile when Hermione said nothing and sat firmly back in her seat that she had previously when to vacate.

'You know doctor Granger. I was ever so amazed that I could dream that dream so vividly – the others weren't so vivid – can you imagine my astonishment when the next day you showed up as a perky little intern?' Draco said with a smile. Hermione gaped at him again, as she did at the start of the session.

'What do you mean when you say "the others weren't so vivid" Draco? Draco?' Hermione realised his face once again had turned eerily blank. She tried to say his name and ask him again and again, until the orderlies came to take him back to his cell.

'Looks like our session is over. I'll see you again. Flutter away to your other patients now, little Granger.' Draco said and _winked at her_. An orderly, who Hermione recongised as Hanzel Jacknife, struck Malfoy across the mouth. 'Don't you dare talk to a healer like that, Malfoy.' Jacknife spat.

Hermione didn't know what to say in that situation and just watched as the orderlies pushed Draco out of view.

* * *

Hermione Granger gathered herself and walked out the door to Nurse Barney Kowalski.

'Did Malfoy happen to give you a bitter lemon to suck during that long talk?' Barney asked as he escorted her back to her office.

'No – I think he was just playing games with me.' Hermione muttered back to the nurse.

'He plays games with anyone, that's not just special to you. I wouldn't worry much about it.' Barney told her honestly. Hermione nodded.

'Yeah but I don't know, is Draco Malfoy insane or is he only playing games to mess with everyone?' Hermione wondered.

Barney sighed: 'What did he say to you?'

'Weird things with weird word choices, about Montague, Healer Quinn, even about you.' Hermione admitted, looking down for a moment.

'About me?'

'Yeah he made this odd reference to you "slicing and dicing" whatever that means?' Hermione said. Barney, who was normally rather chatty to her, went deathly silent. Barney's face was unreadable. He stopped outside Hermione's office.

'I _used to self-harm.'_

'Oh.' Hermione could only reply. She looked down at the bandages neatly wrapped on his left forearm, peeking out discreetly from under his white long-sleeved shirt.

'Yeah don't tell Leland – I've never wanted her to know.' Barney said. 'I'll be on The Lily Ward, if you need me.' And with that Barney Kowalski was gone. Leaving Hermione to enter her office, pour herself a glass of her bottled pure orange juice, and wonder: _what on earth is really going on inside Draco Malfoy's head?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, do you think Draco Malfoy is truly insane? Let me know in the comments!


	5. The Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Draco gets a visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to lun27 on fanfiction.net for their multiple helpful and kind reviews on my stories. You've given me great conversation and encouragement and I can't thank you enough!

_**Chapter Five – The Visitor  ** _

* * *

'Hermione?'

Hermione looked up after five seconds of sitting down in her office chair and enjoying her first Earl Grey tea of the day; after four tiresome sessions with different patients and one heart wrenching one with Theodore Nott [who was probably at that moment in time being transferred to The Lily Ward] where she had her face scratched viciously by Theodore Nott after he had tried to attack the new head nurse (Newt Starling) on the Gilderoy Ward, who had resembled and reminded Nott of his father.

It was heart wrenching because Theodore had been making astoundingly good progress with her, having opened up about his abusive childhood with his Deatheater Father; the reason why he had turned into an illegally unregistered Animagus; the reason why he was sentenced to prison in the first place; it was only after Theodore had two failed suicide attempts that he had been admitted to the Lucian on the grounds of severe depression. Hermione refused to put "psychotic depression" on him as a diagnosis after the incident, as she understood from his sessions with her that Starling did resemble Nott's father and thus it had been an incredibly triggering experience after a gruelling therapy session. Theodore transferring to the Lily Ward was going to be a huge blow to him and his progress as it would mean an additional twelve months of treatment, if not more. Unlike the Gilderoy Ward where patients generally only stayed three months at most before moving to a different facility or prison. But she had expected it. Assaulting staff, especially healers (even if unintentionally) meant that action needed to be taken and Starling wasn't shy about " _giving details"_ to Leland

This was her first break all day after she'd been to the first aid room and it was being interrupted.

Hermione looked over her large "be happy" white mug up at Barney. 'Yeah Barney?'

'Sorry to disturb you ma'am, but a visitor is here to see Mr Draco Malfoy? Do I let him see him?' Barney asked with hope in his brown eyes. 'As his official therapist; it's obviously your call but…it might be good for him.'

_I can't see the harm in it._ 'Yes, why not, let Mr Draco Malfoy have his visitor. Here.' Hermione waved her wand and muttered a small incantation. A parchment appeared in the air in front of Barney's eyes. 'You have my written permission.' Hermione finished. She carried on sipping her Earl Grey tea.

'Thank you, Hermione. I hope he will be pleased.' Barney said as he takes the parchment from the air and put it neatly in his large white khaki pockets. Barney then went to the office door to leave, until Hermione stopped him.

'Wait, Barney?' Hermione said. He stopped with his hand on the door handle. 'After you give my permission to Mal – Draco's visitor, would you be interested in having a chat with me? I'll still have ten more minutes left if you apparate there and back?' Hermione offered. Barney smiled kindly back at her.

'That would be great Hermione, but we both know apparition is against Leland's rules.' Barney reminded her.

'Oh, yes, of course.'

'I'd love to go have a drink with you though?' Barney suggested. 'After our shifts?'

Hermione smiled: 'See you at eight.'

* * *

By half past eight that night, Hermione Granger and Barney Kowalski found themselves out of their work attire and both dressed in casual jeans and t-shirts, in a muggle pub on the outskirts of Wiltshire. They also had to laugh at their matching brown leather jackets.

They sat at the bar and Barney ordered a pint of beer while Hermione ordered a small glass of white wine (with lemonade filled almost to the brim). 'Watching your drinking?' Barney noted.

'Nope. Just don't want to be hungover during my sessions with Malfoy.' Hermione said as she took a sip of wine.

Barney chuckled: 'Yeah, I wouldn't recommend that.' He took a swig of his own drink.

'How was Malfoy's visitor?'

Barney chuckled again. 'You can tell you went to school together. He was alright. I supervised. Think he was a school friend of Draco's from the way they spoke, although the visitor did most of the talking. Nice clothes, little bit of an accent, and rather handsome, even I could tell that.'

'What did they talk about?'

'Y'know for a guy you seem to dislike a lot, wanting to discuss him outside of work hours seems odd, y'know?' Barney commented and laughed as Hermione spit-takes her wine. 'So, c'mon, enough about work, what are you into?'

'Right now? Just criminal psychology.' Hermione answered truthfully.

'Besides work Hermione?' Barney asked as he raised a thick black eyebrow.

'Seriously, just psychology, I don't have time for much else besides work and my boyfriend. What about you?'

'Well, I make time to do other shit other than work.' Barney said as he pulled out a comic book from his backpack. 'It's the only thing that keeps me from going crazy.' Hermione looked down at the comic book he had just placed on the bar table. On the front cover was a man, with bright green hair and a white face with red lipstick on, holding an old-style camera in his hands to his face.

' _Batman:_ _The Killing Joke_?' Hermione read the cover.

'Yeah it's a classic. I love it. Read it three times in a week already, staying up all night just to read it. I only found out about _Batman_ a year ago when I started dating my muggle girlfriend Claire, who is completely mad on Batman.' Barney explained.

'What's it about?'

'How the Joker, I mean you're a muggleborn so you've heard of _Batman_ right?...Good, well, it's about how the Joker came to be. It's his origin. It's messed up but I love it.' Barney said with a gleam in his eye.

'I'll have to read it sometime.' Hermione said as she looks down at her watch. 'Damn it. It's half eleven. I'm gonna have to go, it's [Hermione yawns] past my bedtime already.' Hermione apologised and while Barney's smile faded, he still nodded.

'Alright Hermione. You get home safe now. I'll see you tomorrow at some point.' Barney said as he helps her put on her jacket. 'I really love this colour. Here take the comic. You'll like it as it has some kinda psychological elements too' He said as he gestured towards his own brown leather jacket and put the comic book in her large handbag. 'I like this colour too.' Hermione grinned. 'Bye Barney.' She waited for him to say 'bye' back before she apparated home.

* * *

Ron was already asleep in her apartment by the time she had come home. Two weeks ago when he complained of "not seeing her anymore" (even though he technically did see her) he'd taken the liberty of staying over at her apartment. Hermione didn't care as it meant that she had someone to cuddle as she waited to drift off to sleep that night.

Of course, that didn't happen that night.

Her rotary dial phone on her nightstand rang.

'Hello?' Hermione groggily said.

'Hermione – thank God you picked up, is Ron with you? I need to tell you both –'

'Harry. Slow down, tell me what's happened.'

'It's Ginny. I came home tonight, just this minute actually, and she's gone…'

'Woah, woah, woah, gone? What do you mean _gone?'_ Hermione demanded, glancing at Ron's star-fish-like, stretched out, sleeping form.

'Ginny she's gone. Somebody – no not just anybody. The Bloodsucker. The one. The murderer. The rapist - that the papers are talking about all the time. He left me a message and I know its him. He's getting afraid that I'm gonna catch him. He basically spelled that part out in the note. I know he knows Malfoy – Draco Malfoy - and I know Malfoy's in the Lucian Asylum where you work – I need you to talk to him, get him to tell you what he knows, ask him about any visitors he's had or contact he's made with people since he's been in the Asylum. I've checked his reports Hermione and I know that he only speaks to you. He's been a suspect to me for over a month now.' Harry ranted down the phone.

'Harry do you mean to say that you checked Malfoy's flies without permission? And that you mean _Ginny Potter_ has gone?'

'Yes, Hermione.'

'Harry that's completely unethical and – '

'It's allowed. I'm an Auror and he's a criminal, Hermione.' Harry interrupted. Hermione could tell he was already losing it over Ginny being "gone".

Hermione took a breath. 'What do you need me to do?'

'Ask him, Hermione. Ask Draco Malfoy about all his contacts, any visitors, letters, anything, about his time at the Asylum. Hell, even before the Lucian Asylum. I've found recent evidence suggesting rape attacks of a similar nature even during the Second Wizarding War.' Harry said.

'OK Harry, I'll do it.' Hermione said finally. 'Harry?'

'What?'

'Get your arse off this phone and go find Ginny.' Hermione said as she slammed down the phone and got out of bed. Hermione knew for a fact that she was not going back to sleep tonight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now you have reached this point, you are currently caught up with Mad Love's progress on fanfiction.net. Well done, and please give me feedback on my work. :)


	6. Solitary Confinement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hermione goes down to Solitary Confinement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: No spoilers but extremely DARK chapter ahead.   
> In the words of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events': 'Look away, this chapter is nothing but dismay...so look away, look away'...  
> Oh...you're still here, regardless of my warning. You must have some Gryffindor in you! Read on then :-)

_**Chapter Six – Solitary Confinement ** _

* * *

'Granger!' Healer Leland shouted with a clipped tone as Hermione walked into the reception area at work after a night of constant phone calls, making flyers, and worrying about Ginny Potter (née Weasley). Hermione turned around slowly, knowing what Leland had to say was going to make her day worse if it was at all possible. Leland's face was red as a beetroot as she stared at Hermione like a Basilisk would.

'I just received word that Graham Montague is to be removed from The Lily Ward into the _less secure_ Cassandra Ward and I could not be more **FURIOUS!'** Leland's voice suddenly becomes unhinged rather than the slow and collected voice she normally possesses. 'WHY IN GOD'S NAME DID YOU NOT INFORM ME OF THE FACT THAT MONTAGUE THREW HIS CUM AT YOU?' Leland yelled. The Nurse-Receptionist (Parvati Patil) gaze lowered into the pages of a large address book that she then covered her face with: the one that everyone knew hid her copy of _Witch Weekly._ 'I can't wait to get away from this place once I get my own place away from my parents.' Parvati muttered so quietly Hermione almost didn't hear her. Hermione remembered then that she had only told Leland Montague had "spat at her" without any embarrassing details.

'Healer Leland – I'm sorry. I – ' Hermione started but Healer Leland was far from finished.

'BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO COUNSEL MR MALFOY, HE ENDED UP TRYING TO **MURDER** MONTAGUE BY WANDLESS MAGIC THAT THANKFULLY DIDN'T GET THROUGH THE WARDS OF CELL: I NOW HAVE TO PUT MONTAGUE IN A CELL THAT IS FAR FROM APPROPRIATE FOR HIS PSYCHOTIC CONDITION!' Leland fumed so hard that she put her hand to her throat as it started to crack from her screams that were directed at Hermione.

'I'm so sorry Healer Leland. I swear I had no idea Malfoy would react this way.' Hermione said quickly. She could feel the tears brim in her eyes as she apologised in the most pleading fashion to her superior.

Healer Leland put her backhand to her sweat-covered forehead _. '_ _ **Just**_ **do** _ **not**_ **lie to me again.'** Hermione nodded as fast as she could. 'Go see Draco Malfoy, **right now!** He's in solitary confinement. I know you have yet to go down there, Granger. It's in the basement or what used to be the cellars of Malfoy Manor. Parvati, put down that bloody magazine you're hiding; Sawyer Flamel is due to take over reception duty any minute now; move your arse, you're such a lazy bum, and escort Healer Granger to confinement and her patient. **NOW!'** Healer Leland commanded.

Parvati quickly scurried out from behind the reception desk, took Hermione by the hand, and led her into the depths of the Asylum. Hermione pitied Parvati so much at that point. She would have hated being in a job she regretted training for so much that she hardly bothered putting in any real effort at all; not to mention having a boss treat you like a servant whose job is to "to primarily show around other higher-up staff members" as Parvati had once commented. Hermione knew that Leland wasn't a favourite healer amongst nurses; Neville Longbottom had once remarked that Leland tended to see them as "failed or too stupid to be doctors", an inaccurate view, of course.

* * *

'I've never seen Healer Leland get so angry. She was like a pissed-off Hippogriff.' Parvati said as soon as they were out of Leland's ear shot.

'How was Malfoy able to perform magic with the restrictions on performing magic in his cell?'

'You tell me, Hermione. You're the Brightest Witch Of Our Age, not me. Though I heard Nurse Davis asking really intrusive questions about it at 6 am, for an intern anyway, with Nurse Clearwater she was Head Nurse on The Lily Ward you know at the time? Not that you'd know that as you only do day shifts. Hermione – I need your I.D card to get into confinement.' Parvati stopped her gossiping talk and held out her hand for the I.D card so she could get the numbers written on it and write them in the air in sparkly coral pink lettering, whilst she muttered an incantation made up of seemingly imaginary utterances. Parvati then tapped seven times: first on the doorknobs of each of the double doors; then she tapped on the tiny gap between the double doors. Then she knelt down and tapped three times on the floor inches before the double doors, and finally she slammed the tip of her wand back to the tiny gap between the doors. Suddenly there was a loud _click_ and the double doors, leading to what used to be the Malfoy Cellar, opened.

Hermione gapped slightly at the effects of the spell. 'I know. It's amazing. Leland finally found a way to make good use of that extra money the Malfoys' put into this place. We had an Auror – your boyfriend Ron actually - did I tell you I saw him a couple of weeks ago? In a café after I finished my nightshift? – he came here and set up this extra security last week. According to Penelope – Nurse Clearwater I mean – every ward will have this new security system up soon. No more of this magic lock and key shit.' Parvati said with a smile as they descended down the stairs.

'What do you mean about "the Malfoys' money"?' Asked Hermione, confused.

'You don't know? …I mean of course you don't know. I only found out about it a month ago. I bought one of this neat ear-hearing thing; its basically two cat ear-shaped objects and you can hear everything anyone says near one of the ears when you put its twin next to your own ear. I bought it from a wizard practical joke shop when I was on holiday in India. It's amazing. Anyway when Leland pissed me off with the ridiculous amount of paperwork she gave me; I mean I'm supposed to be a nurse not an office worker; I hid one in her office…' Parvati grinned.

'You didn't?'

'I did and I found out loads of interesting dirt on Leland – she's been accepting donations from _Lucius Malfoy_ in secret ever since The Lucian Asylum opened. It isn't like everyone thought Hermione: the Malfoys' weren't forced to give up their Manor or face Azkaban like we all thought. No. From the way Leland spoke to him over the Floo Network in her office, it seemed like he and his wife set up this shit-hole, probably because their son was "cracking up". That's what Lucius said to Leland, but I couldn't catch the rest of it, as Leland -' Parvati couldn't finish her narrative of events as Hermione nudged her quickly in the arm as a body walked through a large and wide old double doors.

It was soon to be Healer Anastasia Napier walking towards them.

She was nursing her wrist as she walked, hissing in pain. 'Patil. Granger.' She greeted with a short and rude tone.

'What happened to your wrist, Healer Napier?' Parvati asked as she looked down at Napier's pale porcelain-coloured hand slowly turning a bloody red whilst she clutched at her skinny wrist.

Napier's grey-blue eyes narrowed at Parvati Patil's dark brown ones. 'None of your business, _Nurse.'_ Anastasia Napier snapped in her slightly plummy, sarcastically snarky, voice.

'What happened Anastasia? Your blood is going on the floor now – you need medical attention.' Hermione said, siding with her old schoolmate: she really couldn't care less about Napier, if she was honest with herself.

Napier's eyes looked across from Parvati to glower at Hermione as she finger-brushed the unusually messy, light auburn, long locks of hair away from her the very high cheekbones of her heart-shaped face. 'If you must know _Hermione,_ your psychopathic patient _bit_ _me_ when I had to give him an emergency injection of potion – _don't you **dare** glare at me_ – it was on Healer Leland's orders. In case you've forgotten _Mione_ she runs The Lucian Asylum, not you.' Napier said and though Hermione could tell Anastasia was trying to sound toneless, she realised the healer's voice had an overtone of tremulousness about it. Nevertheless, Hermione cringed when Napier used both her name and nickname.

Before Hermione could so much as part her lips to speak, Anastasia Napier moved and shoved past her shoulder seemingly nonchalantly, but Hermione knew it was on purpose. Hermione and Parvati both turned to watch as Napier continued to hiss in pain as her killer black heels stormed away in allegro-staccato movements.

Then they watched as the double doors ahead opened once again, as the petite Head-Nurse Roesia Beaulieu was shoving a bulky and far taller man out of the door way.

'I need to see him, Ms Beaulieu.' The unfamiliar, bulky, and tall, man said. Hermione and Parvati both cringed at how he mispronounced 'Beaulieu' saying it in the English way rather than the French way (as it was supposed to be pronounced).

'I don't care. I am the Head Nurse of Lucian's Solitary Confinement, and you need written permission from the Head Office to come barging in here. I don't give a damn if you are an Auror or not.' Roesia Beaulieu practically screeched as she continued to shove him. How a woman who was barely five foot could push a bulky man of at least six foot three inches was beyond Hermione but she and Parvati both ran to Roesia's aid.

'What's going on here?' Both Hermione and Parvati asked, or rather, demanded.

'What's going on is that you so called _"medical-professionals"_ are getting in the way of what's likely going to be a murder investigation.' The tall and bulky man fumed, his bushy chestnut-coloured moustache pouting as he was being shoved away. He suddenly planted his large feet firmly on the ground and wouldn't budge as Roesia Beaulieu continued to try and push him out of the Asylum.

'No. What's – going – on – is this oaf – is tryin' – to interrogate – a patient – who don't 'ave the capacity to be questioned.' Roesia retorted in a breathless voice; Roesia's usually faint French accent becoming more apparent in her anger.

'Which patient?'

'Draco Malfoy, ma'am. He could have vital information on the serial killer who has taken Mrs Ginny Potter.' The tall and bulky man replied to Hermione with an American Yankee twang to his voice.

'Mr Malfoy is my patient and I have yet to know of his condition… _sir?_ ' Hermione said.

'Lectore Arnold Bulstrode ma'am, at your service.' The tall and bulky man said and offered to shake Hermione's hand (Roesia seemingly forgotten about, despite her best efforts) and Hermione accepted it.

'Hermione Granger. Bulstrode, any relation to Millicent Bulstrode?'

'She's my second or third cousin once removed I believe.' Lectore Bulstrode said. 'Now if you'd be so kind to let me see Mr Malfoy Ms. Granger?'

'I thought The Bloodsucker case was Harry Potter's case?' Said Parvati, an avid reader of newspapers, magazines, and gossip.

'With Potter's wife going missing the case has become too personal to him. Therefore, a more experienced and distant Auror such as myself was required for the job. Now if you ladies are through with your mundane questions can you all please allow me to get on with my job?' Bulstrode demanded as his small brown eyes scowled at Roesia Beulieu.

'Not until I have assessed my patient.' Hermione said as Barney Kowalski's voice started to boom into all their ears.

'JACKNIFE! What the fuck are you doing – _God almighty_ , what the fucking **hell** are you doing to Malfoy – he's a PATIENT – HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND?' Barney shouted at the top of his lungs. Suddenly, Hermione, Parvati, Roesia Beulieu and Bulstrode were running towards the double doors and Parvati quickly unlocked the doors as fast as lightning as the shouts continued.

'THE FUCKER DESERVES EVERYTHING HE FUCKING GETS, BARNEY! HE STUCK HIS FUCKING TEETH ANNA!' Jacknife roared back in response.

'HE DOESN'T DESERVE HAVING HIS FACE PUNCHED WITH KNUCKLEDUSTERS!' Barney roared back to the orderly.

'TELL IT TO THE JUDGE!' Another voice yelled, Hermione recognised it as the deeper older voice of Greggory Goyle. 'THAT'S FOR CALLING ME THICK MALFOY.'

The group of the Healer, Auror, and Nurses ran even faster as they heard this. Hermione knew this _has to be bad. Very bad indeed._ She didn't even know until now that Goyle worked at the Lucian or that he'd be interested in anything remotely to do with helping others.

They soon reached the solitary confinement cell 8 and as Parvati fished in the pockets of her black trousers to find the keys to get inside, Hermione looked through the little box window to see the downright horrifying scene playing out before her eyes.

Draco Malfoy had been spelled down so that he was pinned on his knees on the yellow padded floor. His Prussian blue patient shirt had been ripped in two and was discarded by his left side and his matching Prussian blue trousers were nowhere to be scene from Hermione's angle as she watched,; he was now clothed in only the black boxer-briefs that had likely not to been changed in years.

Hermione couldn't help but flinch away as she tried to watch the unbelievable and almost indescribable cruelty took place. An orderly who terrifying looked like a more gigantic and stronger version of Ronald Weasley with ginger hair and blue eyes was hissing _'crucio'_ as his long black wand pointed at Draco Malfoy who withered in pain. Meanwhile, as Barney grabbed hold of the smaller man, Hanzel Jacknife, the orderly Hermione had seen only yesterday, managed to strike Draco across the cheek with a knuckleduster punch for what look like the umpteenth time, judging by the flood of blood pouring from all over Draco's face.

Draco's lips, which were covered in crimson, looked like they had been glued together as he kept trying to scream but no sound whatsoever could come out. If his cheeks were already red with blood and black and blue with bruises, Hermione thought they'd be red from his screams. His blonde hair that had once almost been to the floor when he was crouched down had now been sheared and axed off in various angles and directions to the base of his neck.

The rest of Draco's body was a mix of various shades of black, blue, violet, deep purple, and bloody all over. The cuts looked like a werewolf had clawed and teared at his skin and Hermione knew that they had to be even deeper than they looked as from the look of Jacknife, he was far from holding back. Parts of Draco's thighs looked like they had been _scalped off._

Jacknife tried to wrestle out of Barney's restrain on Jacknife's person. Jacknife was cursing furiously using language that would have a sailor damning him to hell as he struggled to be released.

Goyle and the redheaded orderly however were continuing with their disgustingly horrific and _torturous_ "fun", as the redhead had put it saying to Draco: _'this is fun, isn't it, Drakey mate?'_

Goyle actually _laughed_ at the redhead's comment and waved his wand around and murmured something to make Draco's pale eyebrows be pulled out off, fine hair by fine hair and from the looks of it he was almost done.

Jacknife broke free from Barney's grasp somehow (Hermione hadn't paid him attention in that second) and came back into view as Hermione discovered he wasn't just wearing knuckledusters – he actually had on a Alpache Revolver with the bayonet going straight for Draco's neck, just as Goyle casted a spell to cut off Draco's boxer briefs: Draco's last shred of clothing.

_**'NO!'**_ Hermione screamed with all the air inside her lungs pouring out of her vocal cords. The scene had been too unimaginable for her to think any thoughts of it. Parvati had managed to unlock the door just in time for Hermione and the others to run in as Hermione and Bulstrode both screamed: _ **'Expelliarmus'**_ at Draco Malfoy's attackers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Phew! I'm glad this is over as this was so tough to write. I would love to know your thoughts on this. I am honestly so sorry about what happened to Draco, but it is just the way the story went. These story ideas come to me. I don't search for them.   
> Love you guys. I am so happy with the response "Mad Love" has gotten so far,   
> Fantasticlavendercrystals xx


	7. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which details the aftermath of the end of chapter six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mentions of mental health medication ahead in this chapter. You've been warned.  
> Author's Note: Two DOUBLE horizontal lines with "xxx" in between them indicate a change in "character perspective/focus".

**__ **

* * *

_**Chapter Seven – The Aftermath ** _

* * *

In a flash-like speed, Bulstrode had the torturers bound to the back walls of the cell on their backsides. He also placed a silencing charm on all three of them. Bulstrode then turned to look at Draco Malfoy himself.

'Mr Malfoy, I'm Senior Auror Lectore Arnold Bulstrode. I am here on business to ask you a few questions regarding any visitors you've had since being a patient at the Asylum?' Lectore Bulstrode asked Draco Malfoy, who was still bound to the floor.

Hermione's jaw drops cartoonishly. 'Are you out of your damn mind, Bulstrode? This patient has just been **tortured** by the same people who are supposed to be responsible for his _care!'_ Hermione barked angrily. She may not have any particular feelings towards Malfoy, but it was morally wrong for a patient's care to be so, not only disregarded, but also utterly and completely violated.

Healer Hermione Granger slowly crept closer to her patient. Draco Malfoy was still bound to the padded flooring which he was staring at with an extremely lowered head. The lowered head that had dropped further than Hermione ever could recall Draco's head lowering before in his or her lives.

In a word, he, the battered and injured Draco Lucius Malfoy, looked " _broken"._

'Draco…' Hermione started speaking gently, drawing closer and closer. He didn't even twitch in reaction. Whilst normally such a reaction like this wouldn't bother Healer Granger, right then it worried her greatly. 'Draco, I'm your Healer. Hermione Granger. You know that don't you?' She said with the same kind and soft voice she had used seconds before when saying his name. Draco nodded like a child would. 'Tell me where it hurts?' Hermione asked in her softest voice yet – she could feel the tears appearing in her eyes.

'L-l…ll…l…l…le…le…' Draco was stuttering so quietly it was difficult for Hermione to hear him. She strained her ears trying to do so.

'Are you trying to say your "legs" are hurting, Draco?' Hermione said, still using her softest tone.

Draco gave her another child-like nod, his gaze still lowered on his red, _scalped_ thighs.

'Barney... go get a wheelchair, _right now!_ We need to take him to first-aid. _'_ Hermione said in quick and urgent voice. She heard Barney's the swift almost whips of his wand [unicorn hair, precisely 14 inches, Ash wood, and firm flexibility] and she knew a wheelchair was slowly appearing out of thin air.

'Ms Granger, Draco Malfoy is a dangerous patient -'

'You _do not_ have to tell me about my own patient, Bulstrode.' Hermione said, eyes still on the patient in question. Draco was shaking, and she knew if he could move then, he would be rocking-back-and-forth. 'Remove the bound tying him to the floor…do it now, Bulstrode.'

'But he's mentally ill and -' Senior Auror Bulstrode tried to argue but soon shut up when Hermione turned and glared at him like Voldemort would glare at a "mudblood" like her.

'Don't even dare _try_ boast your authority here without a warrant, Bulstrode. This is an asylum and I am a healer. I work here. You don't. You **do not** outrank me.' Hermione said, slowly but deadly. 'Do it, or I'll do it myself, which would not be in the best interest of the patient at the present time. As an Auror you're a bit better than me at removing these kinds of spells.' Hermione ordered. Bulstrode stared back at her but then turned to Malfoy and removed the binding spell.

As Hermione expected, far from the dangerous psychopath, Draco Malfoy curled up into a ball and toppled over sideways, rocking-back-and-forth on the ground in pain and despair. Hermione quickly knelt beside him. 'It's going to be alright, Draco. Those despicable men won't harm you ever again. I'll make sure of it. We're getting you help.'

Barney then slowly crept over to Draco Malfoy too. 'Hey Draco, remember me? I'm Barney. I'm one of the few people on the planet you actually seem to like. Now, if it's alright by you, I'm just gonna help you into this wheelchair so we can get you checked out in the first room, okay?' Barney said. Draco said nothing but let the apprehensive nurse put his large arms around the less bloody part of Draco Malfoy's waist and under his butt, where the slightly ripped boxer-briefs still covered him. Barney then carefully and gently placed Draco into the sturdy wheelchair.

'You better come with me to the first-aid room with me, Hermione. Your voice seems to calm him the most.' Barney says with a firm but gentle voice. 'And you better leave now before Leland bites off your head, Mr Bulstrode.' Barney said, glancing at the Auror. Hermione nodded and followed the nurse and the patient to the first-aid room up above them.

* * *

XXX

* * *

Lectore Arnold Bulstrode, on the other hand, remained froze before he put Jacknife, Goyle, and the redhead known as Puck Sharde, in handcuffs and left them to be picked up later to be questioned by Aurors.

Then, just as Bulstrode was walking out of confinement, his work colleague, his young Auror-Partner Dennis Creevey came dashing up towards him.

'Mr Bulstrode sir, Harry – Harry Potter sir – is here sir. He is desperate to see you sir, so much that his mental state seems rather unhinged, I'd even diagnose him with bipolar disorder at the minute, if I was a psychiatrist or healer rather an Auror, sir.' Auror Dennis Creevey rambled as he walked side by side proudly with Senior Auror Bulstrode.

'Alright Dennis. Y'know, I keep telling yah you can cool it with the "sir" and the "Mr Bulstrode" thing, alright? For God's Sake, you call me "Bulstrode" or "Lectore" like everybody else does, or even just "L", as God knows, I've seen more of you than I've seen my mother in the whole two years since you've worked with me.' Bulstrode explained to his partner and protégé. He knew that Dennis was above all a good kid, but at the best of times, after days of hunting Dark Wizards and nights of Insomnia without so much as a cup of black coffee, Dennis's excitement could really rub on his nerves, a little bit. Bulstrode didn't have the heart to tell Dennis that though, even on his worse days or nights.

 _'"L",_ sir?' Dennis asked, surprised: The kid acted like the letter tasted saccharine in his mouth.

'Yeah. "L" was my nickname at school and at the boy scouts?' Bulstrode explained.

'You were a boy-scout, Mr Bulstrode?'

'Nope. But I soon fantasised about it once it was too late and I'd grown up into a wizard.' Bulstrode said.

'If it's alright by you, Mr Bulstrode, I'll just stick with "Mr Bulstrode", if that's okay sir?' Dennis asked.

Bulstrode sighed. 'Yeah…fine. Whatever makes you happy, kid.'

'I think we best get a move on, sir. Miss Katana is getting really annoyed with Harry Potter. She even threatened to use her sword on Mr Harry Potter, sir.' Dennis said urgently. He shivered as he spoke and Bulstrode chuckled at his fear of their Japanese associate.

'Firstly, a word of advice, Dennis. Never call Ms Faith Katana 'Miss Katana'. She taught me a few years ago how much she _hates_ being called "Miss". There's a reason I had to have a root-filling in my front tooth. Call her "Faith" or "Katana" and they won't be any trouble, got that?' Bulstrode said. Dennis nodded with wide, scared eyes. 'We better run if she is so-much as musing about that bloody sword of hers.' Bulstrode said, thinking how Faith Katana's sword holds the souls of its victims' hostage, _much alike the DC character Katana_ Bulstrode thought to himself: although that thought being spoken aloud almost lost him another tooth.

Bulstrode and Creevey ran to the reception area of The Lucian Asylum. found Faith Katana and Harry Potter being split up by a very foolish or an extraordinarily brave receptionist: _probably the latter._

'… I'm sure we can all work this out.' The red-faced receptionist pleaded with the two Ministry officials. The poor receptionist put her hand on the PA system: 'Healer Leland there is some very _impatient_ Aurors – I mean Ministry officials, sorry my mistake, - wanting to see you. Can I send them up to your office, _please?_ ' The receptionist begged into the speaker.

'Fine. Send them up in ten minutes, Sawyer.' Healer Leland replied on the PA speakers.

'Make that two minutes.' Faith Katana hissed. She didn't need to add "or else" as the receptionist's face understood the implied message as Katana held up her enchanted sword.

'Umm, Healer Leland? … I know you're on your break at the minute, but _I think you really ought to see them now_.' Sawyer the receptionist whispered loudly into the phone.

'Oh alright, you better show them up, Sawyer.' Leland sighs as she spoke.

'My pleasure, Healer Leland.' Sawyer replied and then stood up from her reception desk.

'Right this way.' Sawyer says with an unbelievably frightened and forced but polite smile. 'All who go through The Lucian Asylum must be escorted by at least one member of staff.'

'I can handle a bunch of lunatics myself.' Faith Katana said bluntly.

'We don't and mustn't call them "lunatics", madam.' Sawyer says, still smiling. Katana approached the receptionist like a cat ready to pounce on a mouse.

'What are you going to do to? Rip out my tongue because of one little word?'

'Of course not.' Sawyer said drolly, somehow keeping that same smile up, before adding: 'right this way, ladies and gentlemen.'

Harry Potter went to follow Sawyer but Bulstrode grabbed the back of the Potter's scarlet robes. 'No, no-no-no, _no._ Not you Potter. You're off this case and now you're working on the case of _The Black Pug._ You can't say you don't know about it because I sent you five owls and three muggle-emails about it last night and this morning.' Bulstrode said in a matter of fact tone and let go off the young man's robes. Harry Potter stared back at him, half-outraged and half-perplexed.

'But – but that's Adrian Pucey's case! I can't just take on his ca -'

'Yes, you can Potter, and if you and Weasley want to stay on as Aurors then the two of you must take on this case. Pucey ran into… erm, let's say Pucey ran into an occupational hazard – certain feelings of _amore_ (or, something like it) came between him and the case's primary suspect.' Bulstrode stumbled on his words. He then conjured a case file. 'Everything you need to know is in here. In the meantime, go home, take the day off, and get some rest. Your wife will be fine, Potter. This case needs someone more experienced now, and we'll do our best to catch 'em.' Bulstrode said gently.

'The best you can do? Is that all you've got for me? Ginny. Could. Die, and you're telling me to sit at home and do _nothing_ about it?' Harry argued, his chest beginning to puff like an angry bird's.

'No. I expect you to go home and take care of yours and Ginny's new-born son. Like any good father.' Bulstrode said with a small smile. Harry nodded slowly. Bulstrode smiled with warmth then. He knew Harry Potter adored little James Sirius Potter.

Yes, at the age of 23 it was too early and even Bulstrode knew it wasn't the Potter couple's plan to have a baby so young. But it had happened and Bulstrode would guess it happened on the night of Cho Chang's untimely death. She had confessed to Harry that she planned on killing herself because her muggle boyfriend had cruelly left her for one of their closest muggle friends. Cho had unfortunately taken this as being "a sign that she was never meant to be loved again after Cedric Diggory", a silly and irrational idea to most, but not for Cho. According to the extremely drunk Harry Potter in The Leaky Cauldron, Potter had confessed that he had slept with Ginny after he told her that he always secretly still loved Cho, being his first love and although Potter denied meaning it, Ginny let him sleep with her to have a child, in order "to bind them together". Bulstrode noted that Potter was once very naturally bitter about Ginny's actions that night as she used a fertility potion instead of contraception, but Bulstrode did reluctantly understand both sides and he had only wanted a quiet drink and didn't need to hear Potter's life story but had felt bad for the young man. At the end of every day though, Harry Potter loved his son and his wife despite their faults and perfections.

Bulstrode had decided to tell Potter that night: _'It was as a shitty thing she did that night, no doubt 'bout it, Potter. But fools in love do incredibly shitty things because they love you. I know that as much as any other wizard or witch that has ever been alive.'_ Bulstrode said no more about it when ever Harry Potter asked him about what he had meant. Bulstrode would always shrug him off when he asked. _No way in hell,_ was Bulstrode thought as his mind floated back to that night at the wizarding pub, _am I to go into a talk about Clarissa after five damn years of silence about that tragedy and to talk about it the Previous Chosen One, of all people. HA!_

'I'll be in touch, Bulstrode.' Harry Potter said, and accepted, _at least he understands that we can't have this conversation here._ Bulstrode turned to follow the receptionist through the Asylum as Harry Potter walked the other way.

* * *

As they ascended the seemingly endless stairs onwards to the top floor, Bulstrode noticed Dennis Creevey's face was turning pink. 'What's up, Dennis?'

'Er, are you sure we should go up to see Healer Leland, right now?' Dennis asked. 'She seems pretty busy. She's talking to her "special friend" Gerald.'

Bulstrode instantly understood: during the Second Wizarding War Dennis' late brother Collin had spelled Dennis' hearing so that he could hear anything within a mile radius so that he could escape the Deatheaters. Although, unluckily, it didn't help Collin in the end, his brother had done quite well with his amazing, if albeit at times annoying, super hearing. Dennis had developed the ability to focus his hearing on a specific subject at a time and does so out of habit and needed. This was the reason why Bulstrode took on such a young partner.

'Well, looks like we're about to ruin her day a little more.' Bulstrode said and opened the door without so much as knocking, to the receptionist Sawyer's horror.

Healer Leland had just put her mobile flip-phone on the desk. She took one glance at Bulstrode and then looked down at her open healer's notebook. 'You can go, Sawyer. I'll take over from here.' Sawyer bowed her head at her boss and scampered off wordlessly. 'You know, you really should have more a heart scaring a young Gryffindor girl like that; Sawyer's a particular favourite of mine. There aren't many nurses who don't see reception duty as the bane of their existences and therefore good girls like Sawyer are an increasingly rare breed.' Leland said whilst picking up a pen and pretending to be engrossed in note-taking.

'I'm sorry about that ma'am. Truly, I am. I hate to make young ladies cry.' Bulstrode said as he approached Leland, before swinging himself around to take a seat on the chair opposite the Head Healer's desk. 'Although…' Bulstrode wiggled his finger at Dennis, who quickly handed him the newspaper from his backpack. 'I am surprised, _if you don't mind me saying so_ , that you care. You see here, in _The Daily Prophet,_ there's an interesting little article by one _Maddie Sanley_ about and I quote, **"** _ **The Trials and Horrors of The Lucian Asylum: An Undercover Journalist's Report."**_ I'm no avid reader but I'd say it's a fantastic piece of work. I particularly _enjoyed_ the part where she discusses Healer Luna Lovegood and that minor, little, _mishap_ with Malfoy cutting her face in two!' Bulstrode was sarcastic during the opening, and snarling during the ending of his speech, before slamming the newspaper in his hands down onto Healer Leland's desk.

Healer's Leland face (which was brown, like the rest of her body, in skin tone) paled to a phenomenal decree. She looked so white – whiter than he'd ever seen someone who was called by most to be "innocent".

'What – where did you get that?'

'Oh, it was mailed to me. As it was to the other homes of witches and wizards around Great Britain, ma'am.' Bulstrode said with a smile. 'But we, my colleagues and I, aren't here to talk about that. We're here to talk about _the little shit_ that did this to poor Luna Lovegood.' Bulstrode then gestured Faith and Dennis to sit. Disciplined Faith Katana does so and sits down much like a solider following command, whilst nervous Dennis sits down like the seat is a hot stove rather than a plush chair.

'What are you talking about?'

'Don't play coy.' Faith Katana said abruptly and held her sword dangerously close to Leland's face.

'That's no Sword of Gryffindor.' Leland said with a touch of trepidation.

'It's better - because its _mine_.' Faith said with a cold grin.

'Slow down, tiger. We don't need to be rude yet, Faith. Now, Joanna. May I call you Joanna? All you need to do is to sign the little _permission slip_ my partner Dennis has in his backpack and we'll be on our way. After all, your orderlies really went to town on Malfoy, and so he isn't going to be much use to us, for a little while at least.' Bulstrode watched as Leland stared at him with both anger and surprise. 'Or, of course I can write to _The Daily Prophet_ immediately after we go, and mention "the orderly problem" at The Lucian Asylum? Before you even have a clue about what I'm talking about.' Bulstrode chuckled darkly at the thought. 'I'll leave it to you. You have two minutes, as its – oh wow, five past eleven in the morning, and I've still yet to have my morning cup of joe. Think fast, doc.' Bulstrode says, looking down at his brown faux-leather watch on his left wrist.

Healer Leland bit the end of her quill hard for a solid minute and a half. 'Give me the papers and I'll sign them.'

As soon as Leland had filled out the warranted paperwork, Bulstrode and his colleagues wore triumphant grinned. 'Thank you so much for your cooperation. It's been a pleasure.' Bulstrode tipped his fedora hat to Leland and gestured his colleagues to leave with him. They followed in silence and he could feel the scowls directed at him from behind.

* * *

XXX

* * *

While Bulstrode was trying to get access to Leland, Hermione watched the First-Aiders face go from shocked to appalled within seconds of her holding the first-aid room door open for both Barney and Draco Malfoy. First-Aider Monte Lacey was accustomed to seeing patients in various degrees of injury and had fixed all kinds of broken bodies, but it was rare for the old man to see such a young man in such a brutal and dire state, that much was easy for Hermione to deduce.

First-Aider Lacey was on his feet immediately and was helping Barney get Draco safely out of the wheelchair and onto the examination bed. [Barney then leaned on the wall beside the door silently for the entire examination]. Draco hissed but did nothing, unlike the last time he was in the first aid room, when he had attempted to claw at Lacey's face. He hadn't succeeded very much, leaving only two jagged scars on Lacey's neck and lower jaw, as Lacey once told Hermione over a shared break-time, it was ex-Healer "Luna Lovegood who had gotten the worst of Malfoy's wrath."

Hermione was impressed that despite Lacey seeing "the atrocity of Malfoy's vile actions first hand", the old man didn't look fearful despite being a Hufflepuff. _I suppose this line of work would toughen even the softest of souls._ Hermione thinks as she obverses Lacey looking over Draco with clear and analytical blue eyes.

'Oh, quit those nonsense noises, Malfoy. You aren't literally a serpent despite your Hogwarts House and if you so much as blink at me in the wrong way I will do far more than badger you.' Lacey told the patient in a calm and steady tone with a faint cockney accent in his voice.

'How bad is it?' Asked Hermione, surprised by the level of concern in her own voice.

'As you'd expect. _Bad…_ but, thankfully not bad enough that I can't fix it.' Lacey said as he inspected Draco's thighs. Draco started to tremble the second Lacey got too close to his hurt body. The patient bared his teeth at the First-Aider. 'Oh alright, Malfoy. I won't touch your person without your consent unless I seriously must. Those thighs of yours are going to leave their marks but I've got potions and charms for the rest of you.' Lacey told the patient who now resembled a scared child more than a grown if somewhat feral man. Lacey performed a series of charms to remove the blood and stop the bleeding of Draco's wounds. He then turned to the many rows of medicine cabinets that Hermione _thought contained pretty much every healing potion known to wizards,_ and quite a number of muggle medications as well. He asked Hermione about what had happened, and she told him nothing short of the whole truth.

Lacey then reeled off a list of bone-mending, muscle-mending and even tissue-mending potions that he was putting on Draco's Malfoy's prescription. '…And what about his mental health medication? Are you still going to carry on prescribing him _NorQueta PshukooRelevare?_ Healer Quinn reported rather promising results with those medications. _'_ Lacey asked the question like he was just double-checking it with her. It irritated Hermione that he was addressing Draco like the patient wasn't in the room with them and that the old man was scribbling away on his notepad rather than looking at either of them while doing so; what was more irking was that Lacey never ignored her other parents like he was doing now.

Hermione instantly shook her head. She had already thought about this. 'No. Draco's old medications have had their trial period now. They don't work and before he takes them all reports say he's calmer. I wish to begin weaning Draco off _NorQueta_ and start him on a Calming Draught to ease the withdrawal symptoms as _NorQueta_ is very addictive and a large dose of Calming Draught I think may mellow his moods. If that doesn't work, we shall prescribe him muggle benzodiazepines. I am thinking about trying diazepam first. After a week, I want to start him on muggle antidepressant medication as well, we shall try Fluoxetine first.' Hermione replied.

Lacey's eyes were figuratively popping out of his skull in shock and suddenly grasped his swivel desk chair – of course a swivel chair offered no support for the almost fainting old man and he fell onto backside. 'Miss – I mean Healer Granger - _Muggle_ medications? … on a patient like Malfoy? Why – why – it's **unheard** of! He's too much of a risk…he's _wizard_ whose psychotic…oh my, Miss Granger, Leland will have _me_ committed myself if I go around prescribing patients like _him_ muggle medicine!' Lacey stammered furiously as he stared at Hermione in astonishment, although his eyes revealed a ghost of fear.

'I'll deal with Leland. You don't need to worry about that. You do just your job and I'll do mine. Are you going to write the prescription or not?' Hermione said.

Lacey sighed and looked deep in thought for exactly thirty seconds. 'It's your funeral…' Lacey said and penned the prescription before handing the prescription list back to Healer Granger. 'I've written down every medication you told me to. You better take Mr Malfoy to the Infirmary in the East Wing. He looks like he could use a week's rest in there.' Lacey said to Hermione and Barney, before glaring at Malfoy. 'Malfoy, my wife, Rubia, is the Head-Nurse in the Infirmary and if you so much as harm a singular hair on her lovely head, you'll wish you were still with those _sick_ orderlies.' Lacey said brusquely.

'I doubt he's in any state to harm anyone right now, Monte.' Barney said.

'I hope that bloody lasts.' Lacey muttered under his breath as he and Barney helped Malfoy back into the wheelchair. Hermione and Barney alike bid Lacey "goodbye" and wheel Draco to the Infirmary as suggested by Lacey.

When Hermione knocked on the Infirmary door using the solid silver knocker. Madam Rubia Lacey answered. 'Good heavens, is that Mr Malfoy!' Madam Lacey explained as her blue eyes examined him. 'Come in, come in.' She said with a voice alike her older sister, Madam Poppy Pomphrey [of whom Rubia looked almost identical too, if not for her honey blonde hair].

'Zinnia!' Madam Lacey called the much younger nurse (who happened to be her daughter, of whom also shared great resemblance to both her mother and aunt). Zinnia Lacey dashed quickly up to Malfoy and took hold of the wheelchair as soon as Barney had removed his own hands.

'I should be getting back to my ward.' Barney told Hermione who agreed and bid him farewell. Barney left her and Draco in the compassionate hands of the female Laceys.

Zinnia was an extremely gifted healing-witch and was able to levitate Malfoy onto a hospital bed with barely any real effort.

'Has the patient started any pain medications?' Madam Lacey asked.

Hermione shook her head. 'Mr Lacey did not prescribe any and I forgot to ask.'

'Damn him. So, I suppose I'll now have to go down to the first-aid room and get his permission. The boy can't be left in a state like this.' Madam Lacey said hot-headedly and without another word about anything else, Madam Lacey was gone, and it was just Hermione, Draco, and the Nurse Zinnia in the room. Zinnia then proceeds to close the curtain around Draco and manually changes him from the disgusting boxer-briefs into more appropriate attire. The fact that Draco is so obliging to her proves to Hermione just how truly weak Draco is. Zinnia then pulls back the curtain so that Hermione can see Draco laid on top of the bed in nothing but a thin hospital-gown.

Zinnia questions Hermione to see if 'Mr Draco has been prescribed a Calming Draught?' To which Hermione replies 'yes'. Zinnia administered the Draught to Draco.

'I'm going on my break just now. Would you like me to bring you some hot chocolate?' Zinnia asked.

'Yes please.' Hermione replied. _After all this a hot chocolate would be wonderful._

Zinnia giggled. 'I was addressing Mr Draco, Healer Granger.' Zinnia laughed. Draco's eyes lit up in a child-like eagerness. He even managed to nod. The first real positive reaction he's shown all day. 'I'll bring you both some back up.' Zinnia said with a nod of her small head. Zinnia then scuttles off to the break room.

After Zinnia leaves there is only one rather elderly Nurse attending the two other patients besides Draco Malfoy in the room. One Hermione does not recognise and the other is Amycus Carrow who Hermione knows is unfortunately Neville Longbottom's patient. Carrow, Hermione understood to be in the Infirmary with Dragon Pox (and thus kept at the other side of the Infirmary with a protective barrier around his person).

'The smell in here sucks.' Draco said quietly. Hermione looked at him.

'Yeah, it really is dreadful.' Hermione agreed as she inhaled the awful mixture of harsh chemicals and the muggle-hospital-like smells in the Infirmary.

'I could bet a fortune that my hair looks just as dreadful.' Draco murmurs almost too quietly that Hermione had to strain her hearing to understand him.

She looked him over, or more specifically, looked his _head_ over, and had to agree. Draco's hair looked like the definition of insanity as it stuck out all over the place like a distorted manga character's head of hair. It was also coated in the poor man's blood.

'Would you…forgive the question…but would you like me to um, erm, wash and err, _repair_ it for you, Draco?' Hermione stammered out the question. She didn't know where it had come from. But, she could guess it was the sadness in Draco's eyes as he spoke about his hair, _which is both in character for Hogwarts-Draco, but utterly out of character for Asylum-Draco._

 _'Please, Hermione.'_ Draco's voice was begging her.

'Okay.' Hermione said with an ever so slight tremor in her voice. She conjures a bowl of water and it appears on the nightstand beside Draco's hospital bed.

She lingers by his bedside until Draco's grey eyes look down at the empty space on the bed as his legs move towards the opposite end; he grimaces as he moved, and Hermione takes all of this into account when deciding to perch herself on the side of the bed.

She picks up the bowl of water and begins pouring it over Draco's hair…but then he cries out. Hermione immediately jumps and turns her head to look at the elderly Nurse on the other side of the room. Her back is turned, and Hermione has no idea what the Nurse is doing but is thankful she wasn't watching.

'Keep…going.' Draco begged again. Hermione took one glimpse of his pleading eyes and her heart strings were pulled like a rock star slamming on guitar strings.

'Alright.' Hermione said and removed her wand from the inside pocket of her white coat. Hermione conjured her best "frizz-free shampoo" that she used on her own hair, as the years of neglect had made Draco Malfoy's hair look like candy-floss, and not in a good way.

The feel of his hair was even worse than it had looked. As Hermione dolloped her hand with the shampoo and started to lather it all over the blonde hair, the only word that popped into her head to describe the sensation of that hair was _matted._ It felt like the fur of a matted poodle rather than the hair of a human man.

It was as coarse as sand paper and as rough as grit to Hermione. Draco Malfoy's hair was not a nice mane to behold at that point, and Hermione thought back to that cute mop of hair he had back in third year, even she had to admit that it had once looked _soft._

She shook her head at the thought and concentrated on her task. The smell of the hair was slowly improving as the smell of dirt, grease, and blood was slowly being replaced by the smell of raspberries by the shampoo.

As Hermione massaged the crown of Draco's head, she began daydreaming nostalgically about that one time in third year when she had been so close to Malfoy when she had punched him. She could then retrospectively consider the softest and in a strange way, _niceness,_ of Malfoy's hair compared to the moment that they were in – _which saw Draco Malfoy, the Great Pureblooded Slytherin, begging to have his hair washed by a mere, lowly, "Mudblood"._ Hermione let herself have a small smirk at the thought as she continued to massage the shampoo into him.

She froze when she heard his _moan!_

'Don't stop.' Draco said with a kind of authority in his voice that was hard for Hermione to put a name to. Hermione looked at him with widen eyes as his face was pink…and then Hermione did _a very stupid thing_ and looked down…where she saw his erection forming underneath that _thin bloody hospital-gown._

Hermione glanced again at the elderly Nurse who by this point was in the middle of giving Amycus Carrow his cure (ironically, in this instance, trade named, _dracorepellent)_ for Dragon Pox.

'I think…it's time for a rinse.' Hermione said and removed physical contact all together as she used her wand to rinse off the shampoo on Draco's head. She was thinking about foregoing the conditioner…

'Conditioner, _please.'_ Draco said desperately. And Hermione couldn't resist, although she'd never admit it, and relished in the desperation and pleading-ness of the so-called "Pureblood's" voice. She conjured the conditioner she used herself and placed it on his hair rather than massage it this time.

'You know, this place…this room. It looks strangely _familiar…_ almost like…something out of a dream.' Draco said with a yawn.

Hermione looked around the Infirmary and instantly noticed the Slytherin green walls and how, upon close inspection, the random black-hued patterns on the wallpaper resembled various types of dragon breeds. _This must have been Draco's Room!_

Hermione stares at Draco in shock. _He remembers, how – why does he remember now?_

From the exhausted and severely pained look on Draco's face, however, Hermione realised very quickly that _now isn't the time for questions about his likely to be painful past…_

'That's interesting, Draco.' Hermione whispered, afraid of the potential "eavesdroppers".

'Do you think that you could…possibly…sing me a song?' Draco asked suddenly – an out of nowhere question.

'You want a song?' Hermione asked, surprised.

'Yes.' Draco answered.

'Alright then…but I'll warn you now that I'm terrible.' Hermione said, and then she looked at the profile of his whole face and took a mental step backwards as Draco grinned such a genuine smile at her that for a second she completely forgot who she was with as she started to sing: ' _Oohh, I do, believe. In all the things you say…'_

It was a soft song and that was why she chose it as she used warm soothing water to rinse his now feather-soft and pure-white-blonde hair. She continued to sing the song like a mother would sing a lullaby to a tiny baby as Hermione got to work and magically trimmed the edges of his skewwhiff hair. It didn't take long as she didn't want his head to be as shaved as his eyebrows, without asking for his direct permission first. The overall end result wasn't what she would consider to be Hogwarts-Malfoy standard but by Draco-Asylum standards it was _perfection_.

Draco's hair and body were now as clean as they could ever be in his condition and Hermione took it upon herself to use a drying spell to dry his pillows and bedding that had been soaked during _his "hair salon" treatment_ (as Hermione joked within her mind) but she was content with the fact that she had done at least a semi-decent job of it.

Hermione stood up and went to leave (her next patient Daphne Greengrass in the back of her mind by that point) as she was already late for her other sessions and sadly would have no more breaks that day after that. But then she turned to glance at Draco Malfoy one last time before she left.

He was snoring lightly in the beginnings of sleep.

Hermione smiled to herself as she closed the Infirmary door lightly.

* * *

Just as Hermione was headed to The Cassandra Ward on the second floor of the Asylum [which was two floors down from where Hermione had been in the Infirmary]. A sweating and puffing Healer Neville Longbottom came running towards her: 'HERMIONE!'

'Neville? What's wrong? What's happened?' Hermione asked, utterly bewildered by Neville's distressed aura.

'Leland – Leland just ordered me to administer a 600mg of that new experimental potion, you know that one the press have been hectoring us about for months? Well Leland – she ordered me to give _Neuroletium,_ you know that potion that's mixed with muggle first generation psychotics?– I'd swear to Godric Gryffindor himself that **I did not want to do it** Mione – but Leland – the nurses on the Lily Ward kept on reminding me I'd "almost definitely" get the sack if I defied Leland's orders…so I administered _Neuroletium_ to Theodore Nott…' Neville tried to explain, and it was as if he had two different minds instructing him. One ordering him to blurt it all out as fast as possible – and another ordering him to bury it in his own grave.

' _What!'_

'I'm so, so, sorry Hermione. I _had to._ I couldn't help it.' Neville was almost crying. Hermione stared at him regardless.

'What the fuck are you trying to tell me, Neville!'

'I'm…I'm trying to tell you that-that Theodore Nott has been rushed to St. Mungo's, a-as he's had an _extreme_ reaction to the potion.' Neville stammered in despair.

* * *

**__ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Poor Draco! Poor Theodore!  
> It was easier to write this chapter, but it still hurt quite a bit as well. Leave any comments about what you want to happen, liked/disliked in the review/comment section. Apologises to any Batman Fans who like the DC character "Katana". I didn't use her "real name" here because I am only using certain Batman characters extremely loosely in this Harry Potter fanfiction.  
> If anyone in interested I envisioned Hermione singing 'I Found A Reason' by 'Cat Power' to Draco.  
> Cheers to our longest chapter yet, guys! Hip-hip-hooray!  
> Thanks to lun27 for giving such a lengthy review and advice. I love them. You can thank lun27 guys for the very early update. Thanks to everyone for reading and an even bigger thank you for my followers who are sticking with this story.  
> Happy Reading Everyone!  
> Love,  
> Fantasticlavendercrystals xx


	8. Indescribable Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Hermione has a revealing conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: The usual dark subject matter but also some use of offensive terms for the mentally ill - I am in no way saying I agree with using these terms - I don't think its right to use them to hurt those with mental health problems.

_**Chapter Eight – Indescribable Emotions** _

* * *

Hermione gaped at Neville. 'Is he – is he going to be alright?' She said in a much calmer tone: she couldn't process all this right now.

Neville's eyes lowered to the dirty but polished floor. 'I-I do-don't know Mione. The healers at Mungos have just left with him.'

Hermione turned around and headed for the exit. That is, until she heard an obnoxiously loud _cough_.

'A- _hem_. _Granger_.' Anastasia Napier said from behind her, in a shrill but sing-song voice. 'Forgive me if I'm mistaken, buuutt … your timetable does state that you have a session with Miss Daphne Greengrass right now. Well, technically you're late. _But if you_ _ **don't**_ _care about Leland dropping you like she would drop a howler in the bin,_ then never mind, forget I said anything…' Napier said and the smirk on her pasty face bloomed like a poisonous flower as she watches Hermione's first irritated and then horrified expressions. 'Toodle-oo, Granger. Dasvidania, _'Bottom_.' Napier departed with a smirk as big as Voldemort's ego.

 _If looks could kill, she'd be in for a most painful death._ Hermione thought as she followed Napier down the halls and corridors into the break-room.

* * *

Anastasia Napier had gotten there two minutes earlier and was now struggling to make herself a gingerbread-syrup-and-cinnamon-with-soya-milk-with-a-splash-of-vanilla-latte with her dragon-heartstring-core wand in her right hand. _Its strange how even if you don't like someone, if you're around them enough their habits rub off onto your brain and sink in._ Hermione thought.

'Damn that bastard Draco for injuring my left hand.' Napier fumed as she tried to steam the milk with her wand.

'From that smirk Anastasia, it seems you deserve injury.' Hermione said as she walked into the break-room. She took a seat on the black leather sofa and stared at the auburn-haired witch in the kitchen area on the other side of the room.

' _Cute,_ Hermione. Don't you have to see Greengrass?' Anastasia Napier said as she turned around to glower at Hermione.

'Oh, I think I can make time to ask you why you and Leland felt the need to give Malfoy that injection?' Hermione demanded.

'You can go ask Lel-'

'I'm not asking Leland, I'm asking you. I want your side of the story.' Hermione demanded again.

'Oooohh _"I'm asking you"._ You're a nightmare really, aren't you? Honestly, it's no wonder you don't have any friends here besides Longbottom.' Napier sniggered.

Hermione was speechless as her mind wandered back to the time in first year when Ron had said pretty much the exact same thing. _"It's Levi-OOOOH-sa not LevioSAR." She's a nightmare, honestly. It's no wonder she hasn't got any friends."_ Memory-Ron said inside Hermione's mind.

'Oh, hit a nerve there have I, Granger?' Napier smiled darkly.

'No. Just answer my question. _Why?'_

'Not what I'm seeing.' Napier sing-songed. 'And because he needed it, Granger. Malfoy is a complete psychopath as shown by this [Napier shows her lightly bandaged wrist] with psychotic tendencies. And _you_ weren't prescribing him any treatments other than _talk therapy.'_

'I was waiting to see – hang on – how do _**you**_ know that I wasn't prescribing him any potions? It's against the rules to access patients' prescription lists that aren't yours.' Hermione said growing angrier by the second.

'"Against the rules"? What are you Granger? Twenty-four going on five-years-old?' Napier said. 'You're supposed to be _The Brightest Witch of Your Age_ [Napier says the "title" in a child-like high pitched taunting voice] and you don't know how I can find out that information? Pathetic. Anyway, that's for me to know and you to dot-dot- _dot.'_

'I'm " _pathetic?"_ Have you taken a look in the -'?

'The mirror? Yes, I have, every day. And I'm more than pleased with what I see there. As I see myself as someone who knows who she is and what she wants out of life. I see myself with Viktor Krum, the boy that you left heartbroken, and yet I'm the one who made him feel whole again as a man. I see myself as someone who stands with her values and whose proud of them. What about you, _Mione_ , what do you see?'

Hermione doesn't answer because she hardly ever does look in mirror. For what she sees is someone who's always trying to prove herself, who always sees every minute and major flaw in her reflection; she sees someone who doesn't know why she didn't accept Ron's proposal to her last Christmas and she has no idea why she didn't.

' _The Brightest Witch of Your Age_ left speechless by Anna Alycia Jacinth Napier.' Napier laughed and gave a smile that did not match her grey-blue eyes.

'Are you a little bit old for point scoring?' Hermione retorted. Napier snorted.

'You're one to talk – sucking up to the boss like you always are. Or at least _attempting to._ Leland is a bit too wise for you, didn't anybody else tell you? No. They wouldn't. Want to know why? Because they don't care enough about you to let you know that truth. I, on the other hand, _pity_ you, Hermione. You're like an octopus, clever enough to get out of the tank that is _muggle_ society, but not smart enough to rule the world, because you can't speak like humans can. It's a damn shame really. You're so _"brilliant"_ according to morons like Harry Potter and _Nevvy_ Longbottom and yet you just don't have a way with people.' Napier smiled darkly at Hermione's crumbling resolve. 'You may have book-smarts, but you don't have any people-smarts. I have a balance of both.'

'How can you say that, when you know jack about me? Anastasia.' Hermione said, fighting back the tears. _You must not cry. You must not cry. You must not show Anastasia Napier your insecurities._

'Don't I? Have you forgotten you're far from the first healer that has treated Mr Malfoy? In between the times when Healer Lovegood worked here and when Healer Quinn took Malfoy on. I took care of him. I did so until Leland when against me and told the nurses to increase his dose of _NorQueta_ without giving me so much as a whisper in the matter. That's when he attacked me and give me this [Napier uses her uninjured hand to rub off the eyebrow pencil on her left eyebrow and touch the tiny scar that was almost fully covered by her eyebrow]. I was taken off the case unwillingly after that, but that's not my point. My point is all he ever talked about during our sessions was _you_ and you _alone._ It was odd actually. I wouldn't have thought he'd even think about you, Pureblood as he is. The only thing he said about me was that he liked me the most because I am a Half-Blood who "at least knew how to act a little like a Pureblood lady". Of course, that's true, as I'm a child of Clementine Lyoniss, who always acted like blue blood royalty around everyone, when I was growing up. Why she married my adulterous filthy _muggle_ father and disgraced her name in wizarding France, I shall never know. I could be living like Marie Antionette right now and having my cake and eating it.' Napier said. Hermione wanted to roll her eyes out of their sockets at the way Napier said not only the word " _muggle",_ but also at her lack of insight into muggle history.

'But Malfoy was obsessed with you. Heavens knows why, but he always talked about "how you knew every answer to any question at school" and how "you wore your hair down all the time for two years but then started to look prettier when you tied it back" and "how beautiful you were because you were untouchable" and even – this bored me the most, by the way – "how you liked your toast on the last day he saw you in The Grand Hall with no butter and raspberry, _not strawberry jam,_ and Earl Grey tea and orange juice, and no coffee (as you only drink that when you seem stressed over something)."' Napier said with a fake yawn and she smirked when she saw Hermione gape at her words.

'I actually started to feel envious of you. Nobody, except maybe that imbecile Jacknife, talks like that about me. Not even my sweet Krummy. Of course, I quickly got over it after I met you in person. Draco obviously wears rose-coloured glasses when it comes to you. Point is I know you _through_ him and I was doing him a favour when I suggested you to be his new healer. I knew he'd work with you better than with anyone else.'

Hermione got up off the sofa where she had sat and listened and walked straight past Napier to the white-and-floral bone china cup that Napier had been trying to make her latte in previously.

'What are you doing?' Demanded Napier as she watched as Hermione pulled out her wand and conjured a latte just the way Napier liked it even with the stupid ¼ spoon of brown sugar. She then conjured an incredibly milky coffee with two white sugars and a plain green herbal tea.

Hermione then held out the latte for Napier who stared at her dumbfounded before hesitantly accepting it.

'It's not got dairy in it, has it? You know I suffer from Lactose Pox _.'_ Anastasia asked suspiciously. Hermione had to roll her eyes at that. "Lactose Pox" was the disease that Anastasia Napier described to everyone she met as "the witches version of lactose intolerance", but Hermione had yet to find a book mentioning the so-called "disease".

'It's made with soya – just the way you like it.' Hermione said honestly. _I have no intentions of killing you Anastasia – though it is a pretty fantasy at times._ 'I made it for you because I _pity you_ too.'

Anastasia really did not believe her – that much Hermione knew for a fact. Hermione sighed at her obvious scepticism and picked up the little tray which the herbal tea and coffee were placed on.

'Why have you made coffee?'

'Because I'm stressed.' Hermione said and realised that _Napier would smirk at that_ which the witch did as well. 'I made the herbal tea for Daphne. Today is her last session after all.' Hermione said and turned to exit the break-room.

Upon exiting, Hermione had to sigh as she heard the distinctive sound of liquid being poured down the kitchen sink.

* * *

XXX

* * *

_I never thought I'd write about my life on toilet paper, but here I am, probably using my captor's pen to write as well. If you on the other side of the room discover this paper that I'm putting through the hole between our bathrooms, then please take it with you if you get out of here. Give it to my family and let them know that I am still probably alive_. _My name's GINNY POTTER._ _I'm a journalist and wife of Harry Potter and the scar-faced bastard kidnapped me. I have a baby son James who is missing his mummy right now. Please find this paper as I know you mustn't be able to hear me for I have been screaming for help. I'm in nothing but a nightgown after he forced me to change out of my "tear-stained sweater" and jeans. He yelled at me saying_ _"look what look you made me do!"_ _and I'm petrified at what the bastard will do to me next. I know he's The Bloodsucker._ _WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET OUT OF HERE!_

* * *

XXX

* * *

On her way to Daphne Greengrass' cell, Hermione saw Graham Montague being monitored by two of the most frightening orderlies they had at The Lucian Asylum. Their names were Crane and Malvolia and the two of them were laughing to each other about how badly Montague had been "potioned up". Hermione kept well out of their way and made a dash straight for the cell.

'I'm honestly so sorry I'm late Daphne -' Healer Hermione Granger started, as she put the drinks tray down and took her seat, but was quickly interrupted.

'Thorn. I prefer Thorn. I am Rose Thorn, not "Daphne".' Daphne Greengrass said adamantly.

'Of course, sorry Thorn. I know that…' Hermione said, realising her slip up. Daphne had been calling herself "Rose Thorn" since she entered the Asylum. 'I was just apologising, as I'm terribly late because I was dealing with other patients…'

'Malfoy again? He holds back all the healers.' Daphne or "Thorn" said.

'I cannot reveal anything to you that breaks the confidentially of other patients, you know that already Thorn.' Hermione explained for the umpteenth time. _You can stop the girl from gossiping, but you can't take the gossip out of the girl._ 'Anyway, it doesn't matter that we've only got fifteen minutes today as today I'm proud to say I am signing your release papers. You'll then be free to go to a half-way-flat and then after that you can live the rest of your life as a sane, free, witch, Thorn.' Hermione announced with a smile as she sipped her milky coffee. Daphne ran her shaking finger around the rim of her cup of herbal tea.

'W-what? You're not going to send me to Azkaban. B-but I attempted to murder my sister! I p-poisoned A-A-Astoria with cursed roses I planted in her bedroom. She-she's still in a coma!' Daphne stammered. Hermione nodded.

'Yes, but nonetheless it was attempted murdered and as my superior reminds me all the time. The Lucian Asylum is not a prison and we aim to release sane people back into wizarding society as soon as possible. You have your quirks, Daph – I mean Thorn – such as your recently found love of herbology after your ex-fiancé introduced you to it before your imprisonment, and your eccentric "relationship", as you call it, with "all plant lives", but so do we all. I was called an "know-it-all" throughout school so I know what passion for things feels like.' Hermione said, looking around at the numerous flowers, plants, and even some tiny bushes that her cell was decorated with. The blonde witch even had a tank containing Gillyweed that an anonymous admirer sent to her. 'Beyond that, you also feel terrible remorse for your younger sister's fate, don't you, Thorn?'

'Oh _yes_ , Healer Granger _, terrible!_ ' Thorn (Daphne Greengrass) agreed quickly, with a smile as she proceeded to drink her tea.

'Precisely. So, there is absolutely no reason that I can see for you to remain here or in Azkaban or indeed any prison.' Hermione said in her most final tone. She conjured the release papers and signed and dated them. 'Just sign here and you'll be free to go. I've even requested you to be put in a half-way-house in Scotland, a hundred or so miles from Hogwarts, where a herbologist lives nearby who is seeking an assistant, if you are interested?'

'Oh Merlin, yes, yes, yes! Of course, I am interested! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Healer Granger!' Thorn said and couldn't sign the release papers fast enough.

'You're most welcome. In two days you'll be out of here and on the Lucian Bus to Scotland!' Hermione said with similar enthusiasm – Daphne Greengrass was her first patient and now she was a great success!

'I could hug you right now!' Thorn said giddily.

'I'm sorry Thorn, but I mustn't, its unprofessional, and I must get to my next patient now you are free to go.' Hermione said, sadder than she expected to be. Her sessions with Rose Thorn had always been pleasant.

'I understand, Healer Granger.' Thorn said disappointedly. 'But there are no rules about me giving you this.' Thorn said and blew Hermione a kiss and winked at her.

'Thank you Thorn.' Hermione said, feeling a little awkward as she left the freed ex-patient.

* * *

Hermione was walking to her next patient when she noticed Ron Weasley dragging Hanzel Jacknife out of the Asylum: that wasn't the part that concerned her though, it was how Jacknife was walking.

'Ron! Ronald! Ronald Weasley! What have you done to him! He's – he's walking like a-a _penguin_!' Hermione said, shocked at Jacknife's state. His feet were completely turned outwards as he stood when Ron stopped to speak to his long-term girlfriend.

'Good. He deserves every hex I gave him after what the bastard did to a patient.' Ron shrugged angrily as he pointed his wand into Jacknife's spine, causing the latter to reluctantly march on forward. 'I'm here on business Mione. I can't talk about it all now.' Ron said and marched onwards to the exit with the other Aurors and their orderly prisoners in tow.

* * *

Hermione's next hours at work at The Lucian Asylum were thankfully dull and uneventful. By the time she had seen three more patients, filled in her reports, and did all the mostly unnecessary paperwork for the day it was home time. Only Hermione wasn't going home. She was going to see Theodore Nott at St. Mungos.

Hermione was relieved when against all odds it was Padma Patil that was the healer who was assigned as responsible for Nott's physical healthcare at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. _At least I know Padma._ Hermione thought to herself as she waits in the waiting room.

'He's in intensive care now, Hermione.' Padma told Hermione with the calm soothing "doctor-voice" usually prescribed for relatives and friends of patients. 'He's in as much of a stable condition as we could get him in without understanding the complete effects of the experimental treatment he was given at Lucian.' Healer Padma Patil told her quietly.

'Where is he? Can I see him?'

'Of course. He's still your patient as well as mine (for now) and I fully understand your concern for his wellbeing. He's not far from here and I will personally take you to see him but Hermione, I will warn you right now that the state he is in would give anyone a fright.' Padma said.

'I don't care. I just need to see how he is.' Hermione replied.

Padma sighed. 'This way then.'

Padma Patil led Hermione Granger into a nearby hospital ward on the third floor and all Hermione could hear were loud, prolonged, screams with a masculine and familiar voice. Hermione's feet soon surpassed Padma's as she rushed towards the chilling and haunting sound. She looked in from outside the window of the private room where she discovered the source of the screaming.

Theodore Nott was buckled down with leather straps to the hospital bed, his body consulting – _no, it was as if it's contorting_ – in multiple and all directions. Hermione had to flinch but couldn't completely look away as her ears where filled with his tormented voice. He was screaming out as if The Devil himself and all The Demons from Hell were burning him alive whilst practicing every form of torture known to man on Theodore Nott. Theodore was screaming and yet Hermione couldn't understand a word he was saying – it was like he was speaking in a make-believe language and Hermione guessed he more than likely was.

'Hermione…you're crying. Come on, let's go.' Padma said gently as she took Hermione by the shoulders and led her out of Theodore's ward.

'What has happened to Theodore Nott, Padma?' Hermione asked as they walked back the way they came.

'We're not one-hundred-per-cent certain yet, Hermione. All we know is that he has become inconsolably afraid of everything and we can guess he's created a kind of bogeyman figure inside his mind as a result of the experimental treatment. Your boss shouldn't have given him that at all – there's borderline no research on it. I don't know how you or Parvati can work at that creepy Asylum, Hermione…' Anything Padma Patil said from that point onwards was completely lost on Hermione as Hermione spotted a familiar hat in the waiting room where she'd been.

'BULSTRODE! What do you think you're fucking doing, being here? If you think I'm letting you see Theodore Nott when he's in such a terrible state to help you solve your bloody cases, then you need to go back to whatever STUPID FUCKING PLANET YOU CAME FROM!' Hermione roared and within seconds had her wand up at Lectore Bulstrode's throat.

Bulstrode simply stared at her. 'Woah, woah, woah. You need to go back to whatever psycho planet _you_ came from, missy. For your information, Ms _Firecracker_ , my life doesn't solely resolve around you and your psychotic piece of shit _patients_.' Bulstrode said calmly. 'I'm here because I volunteer at this hospital on my days off, and I was visiting Ms Luna Lovegood who was more than willing to see me. See she even gave me this.' Bulstrode held up a thank-you-card which had a picture of what looked like a bird _made out of real feathers?_ 'She made a picture of an eagle with real eagle feathers painted gold as I was in Thunderbirds House at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She also gave me an awesome cork necklace. How cool is that?' Bulstrode explained proudly, holding the card in front of Hermione's face.

'…Cool…I guess. Why are you visiting Luna?' Hermione asked, puzzled.

'Because I bought her some flowers my sister Lettie recommended to repel the Nargles away and Luna a lovely, wonderful, bright, and above all else, special girl, who did not deserve what that bastard did to her. She's like the daughter I n-' Bulstrode interrupted himself and took a pregnant pause. 'She's like a daughter to me now, that's my point. Now, Ms Granger, if you're through accusing me of being unfair to your loonies then I'll be on my way home.' Bulstrode said and then without even waiting for Hermione to respond, left the waiting room and hospital.

Hermione was then left altogether alone in the deserted waiting room of St. Mungo's hospital and left to feel a fusion of indescribable emotions including, worry, sadness, anger, and most of all, _fear_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Annnnddd that's all for now, folks!  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave any comments you have in your reviews. Special shouts to Green Eyed Lana Lee and lun27 for their lengthy multiple reviews. I love all my reviewers but you guys are the best at advice and feedback and make me want to update more. Thank you! [Also brownie points to any reviewers who get the Batman references in this chapter.]  
> Many thanks as always to those who are following this story and reviewing as well. You guys are the greatest!  
> Happy Reading to Everyone!  
> Love  
> Fantasticlavendercrystals xx


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Auror Bulstrode visits the Asylum to see Draco Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: VERY DARK SUBJECT MATTER AHEAD! I won't say what the dark subject matter is about as I don't want to give spoilers, but you've been warned.  
> Authors Note: when you see a horizontal line followed by a sentence being partial written in italics and it doesn't appear to be thoughts, it is indicating either the opening or closing of a flashback such as when the sentence in this chapter starts like 'Hermione was seconds away from opening the door.' There is only one flashback in this chapter.

****

* * *

_**Chapter Nine – Something Wicked This Way Comes** _

* * *

_I don't know about you, but I haven't eaten in days now. The scar-faced bastard didn't even come close to me as he pointed his shitty muggle camera at me and took my picture. I am trying my best to remember who he is - he looks familiar but he never comes close to me. It's almost like he's afraid. He just said that I "don't look right yet" and left me trapped in here. I don't know what the fuck he's talking about but I'm scared to death. Please write back to me if you find this - Ginny._

* * *

XXX

* * *

'Something wicked this way comes.' Muttered Healer Longbottom as Senior Auror Bulstrode marched through the doors, his partner Dennis and their associate Katana in tow. Dennis whispered something to Bulstrode.

Bulstrode smirked at Longbottom. 'No need to be a meanie.' Bulstrode chastised the healer, before he tipped his fedora hat to Healer Granger.

'Ms Granger. Sorry to interrupt your lunch break, but I'm assuming you know why I'm here?' Bulstrode greeted in a friendly tone. Lectore found himself very confused at Longbottom's attitude. Yeah, Bulstrode didn't have much luck in impressing the newspapers, due to his unorthodox methods he's used in the past to catch dark wizards, but besides that he'd never spoke to this guy before in this life.

'I can guess. You want to see Malfoy.' Hermione stated as she sat rigidly in her chair as she put down her cheese and salad sandwich on her lap.

* * *

It had been a week now since Draco Malfoy had been taken to the Infirmary after being beaten by the orderlies [who were at that moment awaiting trial for severe malpractice]. Since that time Hermione hadn't been able to see him for Leland had pretty much done all but _forbidden_ Hermione from doing so: Leland suddenly prevented any visitors at any time of day or night from being allowed inside the Infirmary; Leland had piled up Hermione's paperwork and so she had three times as much as normal; Leland had _asked_ Hermione to cover Napier's shifts as "Healer Napier has a holiday booked and on such short notice no one else can cover it. It's unfortunate but she is well over due her time off: Napier has never taken a sick day in her three years of employment"; Hermione had no other choice for as Leland told her "everyone else _was assigned but since Malfoy is in the Infirmary and Nott is in Mungo's, you have_ more time free than anyone." Hermione supposed this had all come about after the conversation she had with Napier last week and the next day had went into Leland's office to see her superior.

* * *

Hermione _was seconds away from opening the door to Leland's office when she realised it was already open._ Leland's voice pierced her ears as she overheard her conversation.

'I don't give a flying fucking pig's _**shit arsehole**_ if you think this "facility is morally unethical" Healer Timmothy! If that's even your real name. What is _certainly_ unethical is a sensationalist journalist, such as your vermin self, faking ten years' worth of healer expertise and qualifications to get a quick fucking scoop. Especially as a freelancer for the bloody Quibbler of all the fucking newspapers! **It's disgusting,** and I dread to think how much of a damaging effect your blatant _lies_ have had on this facility's extremely _ill_ patients. No wonder Graham Montague hasn't got any better, no wonder-'

'Montague isn't getting better because he was almost murdered _due to_ your inability to cure a psychotic Ex-Death Eater-'

'You wouldn't know horse-shit about my abilities as a healer, Timmothy! now get your scummy backside out of my office before I owl the Aurors to remove you. I'm _sure_ they would have an insight to _both our versions of events_.' Leland hissed the last line of her furious speech, which rendered the fake-healer/journalist Pablo Timmothy speechless.

Hermione watched Timmothy scamper out of the office in a hurry.

'If you're going to stand at my door like vulture and earwigging my conversations, Hermione, then for god sakes hurry up and tell me what you want.' Joanna Leland snapped; the coolness of her usual character slipping away.

'I'm terribly sorry, Joanna. But I must talk to you about the treatment of my patients…' Hermione was interrupted as a million letters suddenly poured out of Leland's office fireplace, as if the fireplace itself was a waterfall. Hermione instinctively took a step back as the room seemed to vibrate with the flood of envelopes.

'You and the rest of the bloody wizarding world.' Leland murmured as she watched the letters. Leland rose from her desk and marched over to the fireplace and lit a match she had taken from her desk. Leland already knew the letters had been enchanted so they could not burn through magical means. She was only too pleased that no journalist had realised that Joanna Leland never did rely solely on magic – Leland threw the lit match into the fireplace and the letters soon became ashes.

'What I mean to say is, Joanna, why allow those vile orderlies to harm Draco Malfoy? In fact, why not consult me, or at least send me an owl, to tell me your plans for injecting him with emergency potion? Why not consult me on Theodore's Nott's case? Why was he given experimental treatment without my or his consent?' Hermione bombarded her boss with the questions.

Leland turned from the fireplace and stared straight into Hermione's eyes. 'Because, Hermione…I didn't want to add to your stress. I know Ginny Potter has gone missing – it's all The Daily Prophet talks about, aside from my failures as the head healer of this facility, and I know you must be worried sick over her. I am not a heartless woman, Hermione, and I didn't want to burden your conscience, or force you to make such tough decisions in a time of personal struggle. Believe me when I say that to do so would have been the worst decision on my part, for both you and your patients, and I mean _all of them_. Not just Mr Malfoy and Mr Nott.' Leland replied with a curt tone of voice. She took a seat and gestured Hermione to do so as well. Hermione did so with hesitation.

'So…what? Forgive the expression, Healer Leland, but is it right to go behind my back and do these rash treatments without letting me even voice my approval?'

'No. And I ask for your forgiveness Hermione: I sincerely do. But these days I don't have the luxury of time to not be the slightest bit _"rash"_ as you put it. The two patients in question have been here far too long now. This establishment, the Asylum, needs results in order for it _and_ for mental healthcare in Wizarding Britain to flourish and survive. Mr Malfoy is a high-profile case and his case is _not_ going well. It looks terrible, and we'd be shut down if anyone in the Ministry (or even on the board of directors) discovered that he has almost killed a fellow patient. Everything we've worked for, that you and I have worked for, would be gone as fast as a lightning strike. I thank the stars that that idiotic bastard Timmothy wasn't around to see our failure when Draco Malfoy tried to murder Graham Montague. Personal thoughts that could be used in a Pensieve are far more important in the Ministry's eyes than a journalist's gossip.' Leland said; she spoke so rapidly that it slightly reminded Hermione of her patients' voices. 'Do you understand?'

Hermione shook her head. 'No. Not really. But I'll show myself out. I need to go see a patient around about now anyway.' In reality, what was most important to Hermione, in that moment, was getting away from her superior who looked as if she was on the verge of a vicious meltdown – in no way did Hermione want Leland to take out her frustrations on _her_.

* * *

Back in the present, Hermione _watched Bulstrode as he produced a letter from the Ministry._ 'See this, Ms Granger? I have a warrant from the Ministry itself. I do "outrank" you now. So, would you do the honours, and kindly take me and my colleagues to Mr Malfoy?' Bulstrode said.

'Hermione let out a rather angry-sounding sigh as she stood up and chucked her remaining sandwich in the nearby bin.

'Follow me.' Hermione said. While she was relieved that Bulstrode seemed dedicated to his work, and that gave her much needed hope that someone would find Ginny, the healer within her worried about the effects of Bulstrode's interrogation on her patient.

* * *

All were silent as Hermione led them to the Infirmary. She opened the doors and found the only patient within the Infirmary was her patient, Draco Malfoy.

Draco Malfoy was sat upright in the hospital bed that he had occupied for a week. Hermione breathed a small sigh of relief as she took in his improved body. Though there were red reminders on his cheek from Jacknife's knuckledusters, but Hermione mentally noted that they were a hundred times better than before, and she knew that eventually those red marks on his cheek would vanish with the help of his potions. There was also a blue line near the bags of his eyes from where he had been hit but Hermione also knew that would disappear too. Draco's eyebrows still had not started to grow back, but her main concern was how much he winced in pain as he shifted his leg slightly as they all approached him. But overall, he looked physically like he was on the mend. Hermione couldn't help a small smile appearing upon her face as her patient was ever so slowly getting better.

The Nurse Zinnia (who had previously shown kindness to Draco Malfoy) was helping Draco eat his lunch. 'I don't know how I'm going to get you to eat something other than my pumpkin pudding.' Zinnia told him. 'I mean I know my puddings are far better than the stale food you get served the rest of the time in the Lucian, but you really ought to eat some vegetables. You'll heal faster.' Zinnia continued, but instead of offering a verbal response, Draco let his mouth and jaw hang comically open, inviting another piece of pudding to enter his mouth. Zinnia giggled. 'Okay, okay. Merlin, Draco, "pudding" could be your middle name after how much you've eaten it.' Zinnia wiped his mouth clean with a napkin, as if she had no idea he was an Ex-Deatheater that was implicated with not only Lord Voldemort but also the death of Albus Dumbledore. [There often was a rumour around The Lucian Asylum that Zinnia "treat patients way better than they deserved".]

Draco then looked Hermione straight in the eyes. He gave her a strange smile that did not match his stormy grey eyes as Hermione entered with Bulstrode and his colleagues following closely behind her.

'Senior Auror Lectore Bulstrode, ma'am.' Bulstrode tipped his hat towards Zinnia. 'I think it's best, Ms Granger, if you and…'

'Zinnia Lacey, sir.' Zinnia answered Bulstrode.

'Right, right. Well, Ms Lacey, Ms Granger, would you please leave the room while we question Mr Malfoy in complete privacy?' Bulstrode asked it as a question but both witches knew that it was really an order.

'Of course, Sir.' Zinnia answered and curtseyed before leaving immediately. Hermione remained still for a second before hastily following Zinnia Lacey.

Hermione had just closed the Infirmary door behind her when she heard familiar grumbling.

'Leland's orders are getting more and more degrading by the minute.' Grumbled Nurse Parvati Patil, as she pushed a trolley with jugs of water and plastic drinking cups on it, with the sourest face Hermione had ever seen the witch adorn.

Hermione saw an opportunity and took it.

'Parvati, hang on a second.' Hermione said quickly to her old Hogwarts roommate. Parvati stopped. 'Do you still have that sneaky listening device – you know, the one you used to spy on Leland?'

Parvati gave her a glare as she had noticed Nurse Zinnia standing beside Hermione, eyeing them both with some suspicion. 'No – I don't.' Parvati said but then she took in Hermione's troubled features. 'But if you want to listen into somebody else's conversations, then…I'm not above using more muggle means of doing so.' Parvati added and picked up a drinking glass filled with fizzing cream soda (one that was made from real glass) and poured the soda onto the floor. Hermione and Zinnia looked at her in surprise at her actions. 'What? The cleaners or the orderlies will clean it up later.' Parvati said with a shrug before handing Hermione the glass. 'Put it to the door and you'll hear what their saying.'

'No. No way. You two can't be serious. He's an Auror, and a Senior Auror, at that. You can't listen into his interrogation. Stop this madness right now.' Zinnia objected.

 _I know he's an Auror but Draco's my patient, and whether I like it or not, I have to care and be concerned about his wellbeing._ Hermione reasoned to herself. _And besides, I don't really trust Lectore Bulstrode._ Hermione thought. Then, in what surely was an unthinking act, Healer Hermione Granger pulled her wand out from her white coat and aimed it at Nurse Zinnia Lacey, and said: _'Petrificus Totalus'_ at Zinnia Lacey.

Hermione and Parvati watched Zinnia fall to the floor, paralysed.

* * *

Hermione took no time in placing the glass to the door of the Infirmary. She listened into the interrogation between Auror Bulstrode and her patient Draco Malfoy.

'…I only speak to _Granger.'_ Draco snarled.

'Well I think it's about time you talk to somebody else – now who has visited you since… _AHHHHHHHHH!'_ Bulstrode suddenly screamed in agony.

'Mr Bulstrode!' Cried Dennis Creevey.

'Lectore!' Shouted Faith Katana.

Hermione immediately yanked on the door handle and found herself staring with wide eyes at the horrible scene before her.

She had come into the room just in time to see Bulstrode give Malfoy a right hook into the patient's cheek, just as Bulstrode held his left hand over his right eye.

 **'THE BASTARD ALMOST CLAWED OUT MY FUCKING EYE!'** Bulstrode roared in anger. Faith Katana, stood beside Bulstrode, pulled out her sword and was about to swing it when suddenly Bulstrode gripped her sword-arm with his left hand, revealing his bloody and god-awful mess of a right eye.

'Katana, don't. This freakish bastard is clearly insane. The insane don't deserve _that.'_ Bulstrode said. He watched her put the soul-hording sword back into its scabbard on her belt.

'Mr Bulstrode, sir, please let me fix your eye.' Dennis said and did wait for permission before he whipped his wand out and started to cast the healing charms he was trained in.

'ARGGGHHHH! Dennis, Dennis! Stop! Please for all things good, please fucking _STOP!_ ' Bulstrode cried loudly. At his words, Dennis immediately went silent and lowered his wand. 'Meeeerrrrlin, that hurts more than Draco's fucking claw fingernails!' Bulstrode exclaimed as he hunched over in pain. He looked up, and through the drying blood underneath his eyes, Hermione could see that whilst Bulstrode's left eye was still the same warm-brown colour it always had been, the other had changed so it was black in colour.

'I'm sorry, sir.' Dennis Creevey replied sincerely.

'You better be, kid. You need to work on your healing charms, but man, _don't you dare ever fucking try them on me again_. No matter if I beg, or cry, or scream, or if it's a matter of life or fucking death, never, you understand?' Bulstrode shouted, his voice pained.

'Yes, Mr Bulstrode, sir.' Dennis Creevey said. Hermione felt bad for Dennis, he looked so young as he was on the verge of tears.

'Brilliant. And Malfoy?' Bulstrode said and did his best to glare at Malfoy, who was still laid on the bed, in a very twisted position from Bulstrode's punch. 'You want Ms Granger...' Bulstrode had suddenly walked behind Hermione and grasped her shoulders. He led her to the nearby chair he must have transfigured from Malfoy's pudding bowl. 'Here.' Bulstrode pushed down on Hermione's shoulders and she willingly followed the order to sit down the care. 'No need to try to blind me to get what you want.' Bulstrode releases Hermione's shoulders.

Bulstrode turned to Dennis.

'Dennis, you stand at least five feet away from this freak-of-nature and have your wand on him on all times. Faith, you stand next to the wall by the door and look away but listen out for trouble. My guess is this will turn out better without a big audience. And Malfoy?' Bulstrode turned to the patient and forced him to sit up by gripping Malfoy by the ends of his white blonde hair and forced him to look him in the eye. 'I'll be just outside, and I'm giving Auror Creevey over here full permission to use The Imperius Curse on you if you so much as touch a hair on Healer Granger's head. And if you do, I'll be in here faster than you can say "Dementor", and personally see you get your arse kicked out of this dump of an Asylum, and then I will happily escort you myself to watch you received your Kiss from the Dementors. Believe me, this shit-hole will look like a cushiony paradise compared to that. Is that clear, Malfoy?' Lectore Bulstrode snarled.

'Crystal.' Malfoy snarled back.

'Get me the information I need to save Ginny Potter and I will not mention this to another soul, not even Joanna Leland. I promise you. He obviously needs help and justice is only truly served if those who need help get it.' Bulstrode whispered so quietly that Hermione could barely hear him. She nodded in reply.

'I'll be outside then.' Lectore Bulstrode said and he left, while Dennis Creevey and Faith Katana assume their assigned positions, leaving Hermione Granger to talk with Draco Malfoy.

 _He isn't going to tell Leland about Malfoy's attack?_ Hermione thought in astonishment at Bulstrode's actions.

Hermione Granger then looked into the eyes of Draco Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the change in Bulstrode's eye colour does NOT mean that he has gone blind in his right eye. Rather that due to the attack on him has caused a permanent dilation of his pupil, making his right eye appear as a black colour. David Bowie (R.I.P) had the same condition after a fight when he was young, hence why his eyes were two different in colours.  
> I put this in the narrative for two reasons…  
> One. to show that Malfoy can seriously damage a human being over pretty much nothing, because of his mental state.  
> Two: to show that Bulstrode is willing to sacrifice a part of himself for the good of other people. Thus, showing him to be a decent man albeit with many faults (because he's human).  
> Thanks to everyone for leaving comments and kudos.


	10. Quid Pro Quo II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Draco and Hermione continue with their 'quid pro quo.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: Self-harm descriptions in this chapter. If this triggers you then please don't read. The usual dark subject matter is also present.
> 
> Author's Note: This chapter takes large amounts of inspiration from Thomas Harris' 'The Silence of the Lambs' and its 1991 film version starring Anthony Hopkins. So, there will be references. I still don't own Harris' book, and nor do I own the film version. All rights go to their respective owners and I am NOT doing this for profit.
> 
> Please note the reason for the very, very, early update is that I am going on holiday on Tuesday night to Rome, Italy (UK time). For that reason, it is unlikely I will have an update for any of my stories again until at least next week.

_**Chapter Ten – Quid Pro Quo II** _

* * *

'Good afternoon, Miss Granger, or is it morning? I can hardly tell the difference anymore.' Draco said as he looked back into her honey-brown eyes.

'It's afternoon, Draco.' Hermione said, and flickered her eyes away from his. She said nothing for a moment as she tried to figure out what to say next.

'You're here because Bulstrode realises he needs you to get answers out of me.' Draco said with a tiny smile. 'Or perhaps because you desperately want to find your sister-in-law?'

'No. Ginny's not my sister-in-law, and I am here because I wanted to see you.' Hermione was shocked by the sincerity in her words.

Draco's smile grew by an inch. 'People may say you love me.'

Hermione took in a breath at his words.

'It is a pity about Ginny Potter, she is a pureblood witch after all. Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock.' Draco said, although his words weren't especially taunting, as one might expect from his choice of words.

'Draco, do you have any idea who it could be that has taken Ginny? Anyone? A visitor, or a school friend perhaps?' Hermione asked, losing her cool just a bit, as she was practically begging him to tell her the answer. 'Please, tell me the truth, Draco.'

'Hmm, Ginny Potter … _Weasley…_ sorry, don't know where that came from, the thought just popped into my head.' Draco said and looked confused at his own words.

'Although…forgive my ignorance, Granger, but I am right in thinking that Ginny Potter is also a Weasley?'

'Yes.' Hermione replied, hopeful in more ways than one.

'Hmmm… _Weaslies,_ red hair and hand me down robes…' Hermione couldn't hold back her gasp: _Does Draco remember his past?_ 'Very red hair, red like fire, red like the Sahara Sun, red like a rose, red like a strawberry, red like a sunburn, red like Mars, red like a tomato…' Draco was trailing off into some kind of manic tangent.

'Draco, could you please just tell me what you know.' Everything about Hermione in that instant was pleading with the patient. '…red like blood red like jam red like rubies red like ribbons red like shark week red like…'Draco grinned as he watched Hermione's jaw drop. 'Your _face.'_

Draco howled in a fit of bursting laughter. It was so loud, boisterous, and playful, sounding, that Hermione found herself putting her hand over her mouth as she found herself going to laugh with him. Draco's grin grew as he saw the laughter in her eyes, showing his white teeth.

 _I shouldn't be laughing when Ginny's life is in danger._ Hermione soon regained her composure and placed her hand back on her lap as she spoke. Her face then held an expression that was a mixture of desperation, fear, and begging. 'Please, Draco, listen to me. Be serious. We don't have time for any of this now. Who has taken Ginny Potter? You must know who has done it or you wouldn't be grinning like you have the upper-hand, as you are.' Hermione said.

'Ah, but we don't see time in the same way, do we, Hermione? This is likely all the time you'll ever have, for these questions.'

'We can talk like this later, we don't have long, now -'

'No.' Draco stopped her.

'I. Will. Listen. _Now_.' Draco emphasised every word he said. 'Its quid pro quo again, Granger, and I have given you something. Although you fail to see it, but nevertheless, I require something from you in return.'

'What?' Hermione asked, wondering what on earth it could be.

Draco's expression turned completely blank. 'Back when I had a dream about you lying on a dark floor, and you later came to be my therapist you showed me your "Mudblood" scar and proved to me that my dream was real. How did you feel?' Draco said, his words were spoken at a staccato speed.

Hermione stared at him. She didn't want to talk about this, especially not now. _But I have to,_ she thought. _I have to talk about it for Ginny's sake. For baby James' sake, for Harry's sake._

'I felt scared. Petrified.' Hermione said very quietly. She knew it wasn't enough as Draco continued looking at her with a primarily a blank expression still, but his grey eyes were then alighting with curiosity. 'I thought I was doing to die. The pain almost – in fact _it was_ – so terrible that, in that moment, I wished I would die. It was so horrible and that woman – Bellatrix Lestrange – had such a terrible, horrifically piercing laugh – yes, death would have been far more preferable.' Hermione said. Her eyes began to glisten with small tears that did not fall.

'And? What got you through it? Tell me, Hermione, what got you through this terrible ordeal?' Draco asked in a direct but soft tone of voice. His eyes never left her face.

'My friends. My beliefs that the Deatheaters were evil and I wasn't. The fact that I came out of it alive and we won the war. My boyfriend Ron who loved me throughout it -' Hermione was about to say "throughout it all" but stopped herself. This was because there was that awful pang inside her heart that did not truly believe that what she was about to say was true. Yes, she believed Ron loved her, and yes, Ron did help her through some of it but not "all". In the forest, Ron had left her and Harry, and whilst she understood that the Horocrux around his neck was a part of it. The sceptic, or perhaps the cynic, in her heart wondered if it was because he didn't love her enough and that was why the Horocrux had got to him so badly.

'But what causes you to doubt yourself? Or rather, what causes you to doubt that Ron loved you throughout…?' Draco said, a hint of eagerness seeping through his generally monotone tone of voice.

_I really DON'T want to talk about it. Not with him. Not with anyone. It is wrong – it's against every rule to talk about yourself with your patients as a therapist and as a healer. I shouldn't. For Merlin and God, Hermione, would you get a grip on how utterly wrong it is. OK, I need to just stop thinking and think up another way of getting him to tell me what he knows. There must be another way. There just has to be._

_Except…there isn't. The fact that Draco attacked Bulstrode, an Auror shows he has the upper hand. The fact that he can toy with me like does, shows that he has the upper hand. If I want to know what he knows then I have to obey him. I have to do what he says. I just have to._

_For Ginny._

With that last thought, Hermione took a breath her air and swallowed her pride.

'I doubted him because he left me in the forest during the Second Wizarding War. I doubted him because although he was wearing Voldermort's Horocrux which made him angrier and easier to manipulate. A part of me wonders why his love didn't come out on top of all that. I know it seems stupid, and it hurts that I even think that way, when it really wasn't Ron's fault.' Hermione said, and her voice became as pained as her face.

Draco's face went completely soft as he gazed into her honey-brown eyes, the honey-ness of them seemed to be growing more and more apparent, as those eyes laced with tears. 'It's not stupid.' He whispered back to her, and then he said: tell me, please Hermione, just one more question and you'll get your answers. But tell me, what do you see when you look down at that "Mudblood scar" on your arm?'

Hermione gulped in air. 'I see victory over prejudice.' She answered as she sat much taller in her seat.

Draco smiled. 'That was too easy for you, wasn't it? Now tell me what you _feel_ when you see that scar?'

Hermione thought. 'I feel anger and triumph blended into one singular emotion.' Hermione answered truthfully. 'But then, above all else, I feel…' Hermione found herself hesitating as she was unsure about how to say the next part.

'Say it. Say it. Hermione, please. Say it.' Draco whispered in an authoritative but eagerly desperate voice. The blank mask was gone, and he was quietly hissing in pain as he leant towards Hermione, as if the closeness would allow him to suck in more of her words.

'…Pain. When I look at the scar I feel and see pain most of all. It hurt so much.' Hermione's voice broke slightly as she told him the truth. A trickle of tears fell from her pretty brown eyes, filling with emotion that would be painful to look into a pensieve at.

Draco leaned back. He nodded slowly and then looked away from her and down at his Dark Mark. He turned so that it was visible to the muggleborn witch. He then raised his opposite arm and moved it so that his forearm adorning the Mark was in Hermione's view.

Draco placed his opposite hand so that it was hovering over the Dark Mark. He then stared down at it, as if he was trying to burn a hole in it. Hermione frowned. She watched his face and didn't realise until a minute later that Draco's forearm was suddenly pouring with thick, fresh, crimson-coloured blood that was landing onto Draco's body and onto the bed. Draco's face remained somewhat emotionless as he continued to use (what must have been) wandless magic to lash into his Dark Mark.

'Stop! Draco! You're hurting yourself!' Hermione exclaimed in horrified surprise. She stood and immediately went to get her wand but Dennis Creevey [who had been stood still and witnessed their "quid pro quo" in astonishment the whole time] beat her to it.

Dennis's wand-hand pulled back behind his ear before he snapped his wand forward to point at Draco's wound. ' _Reverterpullulare Vulnera.'_ Dennis said in a sharp, crystal clear voice. His wand let off a light that could only be described as that curious purplish-white shade that you sometimes see in a lightning bolt.

The effect of the spell had the blood on the hospital bed vanish and spring back into Draco Malfoy's wound. Draco screamed out in agony and fell from his hospital bed onto the unforgiving floor.

'Dennis, that's enough!' Hermione cried. Dennis flushed with embarrassment and put his wand away. Hermione ran around the hospital bed and knelt beside Draco.

'I'm sorry, Healer Granger; it was just a healing spell they taught us during Auror training for fast wound-healing.' Dennis explained.

'What's going on in there?' Bulstrode shouted from outside the Infirmary.

'N-Nothing too major, sir. Malfoy just tried to hurt himself.' Dennis quickly shouted back.

'No-no-no-no more magic.' Draco whimpered, his frightened eyes looking up at Hermione.

'Okay, okay, Draco. But please, stay still while I use a find a non-magical solution.' Hermione said and began to think.

'No magic, no magic!' Draco cried over and over. She saw the tears falling from his face. Despite Hermione's past apathy towards Draco Malfoy, his tears made her heartbreak more than just a little.

'Alright Draco. But I need to stop the bleeding, okay? And to do that without magic, I'll have to touch your injured arm. Is that alright with you?' Hermione said softly.

'That might be dangerous.' Katana said from beside the door.

Draco looked at her with scared eyes and nodded quickly. 'I know that, but Draco is my patient and right now he needs physical help.' Hermione reasoned. Katana said nothing as she watched the scene unfold. Hermione turned back to Draco. 'Just please don't harm me.' Draco shook his head like a small child would.

Hermione took hold of her wand and conjured white muggle bandages, some white tape, and some medical scissors. She then held out her hand for Draco to place his arm into. His eyes told her _"don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me",_ as he took a leap of faith, and shakily placed his cool arm into her hand.

Hermione inspected Draco's wound carefully. Blood was still oozing from the spot where his Dark Mark would be (she couldn't see it then for the blood) and it wasn't stopping. However, _it doesn't look like he needs stitches. So, Dennis's spell must have done a little bit of good, at least. I don't need Lacey's help to heal this._ Hermione noted before proceeding to wrap the bandages around Draco's wound. She soon moved onto cutting the white tape and securing the protective and neat bandages with it. _That should stop the bleeding._

'Help me lift him back onto the bed, Dennis.' Hermione said. Dennis was only too happy to help. Hermione could tell that he felt guilty about the healing spell not working as well as it should have. It was easy enough to accomplish their task, as Draco's body seemed far lighter than it should do for a man of his age: it was as easy as lifting a twelve-year-old boy.

'You still wake up sometimes and hear that witch with the piercing laugh, don't you? You see her cutting into your sensitive flesh, don't you, _Hermione_?' Draco said as he settled down onto the bed. The way Draco whispered her name like a caress made it seem like her name echoed around the room.

'Yes.' Hermione whispered back.

'And I know that somewhere deep of inside you, there's a part of you that wishes to save Ginny Potter, so she doesn't have to bear a scar like you do.' Draco stated in a hushed voice. His eyes locked on hers and his fingers crept down the mattress of his hospital bed to meet hers (which were rested on the edge of that same bed). He stroked her finger softly before letting his hand drop away from her.

'I do. I do.' Hermione whispered.

'Thank you Hermione.' Draco's whispering of those words lingered in Hermione's ears longer than they physically lasted. _'Thank you.'_

'Tell me the name, Draco. Just tell me the name.' Hermione pleaded with him.

Draco sucked in a breath and looked down as they both heard footsteps walk into the Infirmary.

'Auror Bulstrode, I presume. You seem to know each other.' Draco said and looked back at her face.

Hermione Granger stared back at Draco Malfoy.

'Time to go.' Said a Lucian orderly (his name was "Crane"). He took Hermione by the arm after he walked in with Bulstrode and three other orderlies.

'It's your turn, Draco. Tell me the name of the person who's taken Ginny. Ginny Potter.' Hermione said, as Crane tried to make her leave Draco's bedside.

'I'm sorry, Ms Granger, but you're getting nowhere with this.' Bulstrode said from behind her.

'And Leland told us to tell you that Malfoy needs _rest_. 'Crane said, and he was so strong that Hermione had no choice but to go with him.

'Hermione.' Draco shouted just as she was unwillingly nearing the door. She turned to see him looking at her with another curious expression. 'Don't forget to ask Potter about the case flies of The Blood Sucker's victims.' He said. Hermione then pulled up her wand and before Crane could drag her away from the inside of the Infirmary she cast a spell to pull up the blind and open the window next to Draco's bed so that he could see the sunlight flooding into the room and hear the birds outside.

* * *

'Well, it goes without saying, but today is on my list of the most pointless ideas I've ever had.' Bulstrode grumbled as he walked out of the Infirmary, and Katana shut the Infirmary door behind them. Hermione watched with annoyed eyes as the orderlies spelled the door shut.

'I doubt I'll see you again Ms Granger, and while I can't truthfully say that it's always been a pleasure, but I can say thanks for trying your best in there. So, thank you, ma'am and good day.' Bulstrode tipped his fedora hat to Hermione one last time, before he and his colleagues left her. The orderlies soon left too when Crane released her arm.

As soon as they were gone, Hermione sunk to the ground and the tears flooded down her cheeks.

_I can't believe I just gave away parts of myself to Draco Malfoy, of all bloody people, like that. I didn't even learn anything about Ginny._

'I can't believe none of those idiots realised that Zinnia was in a full body bind.' Nurse Parvati Patil said with a laugh as she removed her coat from Zinnia's body. Parvati then removed the body bind curse with her wand. Zinnia's eyes snapped open and she did nothing but run away as fast as she could from the two other witches in her presence.

Parvati then turned to Hermione, who had her head in her hands as she sobbed. 'Hermione? What's wrong?' Nurse Parvati Patil asked. Hermione realised for the first time that Parvati hadn't left the hall next to the Infirmary.

'I failed, Parvati. For the first in my life, I truly and terribly, failed.' Hermione cried harder. Parvati knelt and moved Hermione's hands gently away from her face. Parvati helped Hermione stand back up.

'Tell me what's all this about, Hermione. You can't have done that bad. I didn't hear a lot of it, but I heard Malfoy shout something about "case flies"?' Parvati said with a raised eyebrow.

'Yeah…Malfoy just ranted on a lot about Ginny being a red head…' Hermione told her friend.

'But I thought he couldn't remember anything?... You know what, never mind, just tell me what else?' Parvati asked excitedly.

'I don't know anymore, Parvati. He just played games with me mostly, but then, at the end of our conversation, as I was being dragged out of the room by Crane, he seemed to stop playing games, and told me to ask Harry about the Blood Sucker victims case flies…oh my god, Parvati, that's it!' Hermione suddenly realised.

Parvati frowned. 'What's "it"?'

'The case flies. What if the person who has taken Ginny Potter only abducts red heads?' Hermione said, wiping her tears with her sleeve, as she put two and two together. 'Parvati, please come with to the staff lockers. I need to contact Harry, right now.' Hermione said. She grabbed Parvati's hand and ran to the locker-room.

* * *

'Why the lockers? You don't need more than a pen and paper to send him an owl?' Parvati asked, panting as they ran.

'Because a mobile phone is quicker!' Hermione replied as they reached the locker-room.

Hermione speedily opened her locker and pulled out the mobile phone she rarely ever used and prayed that Harry Potter still used his.

Her prayer was answered. 'Hermione? I'm kind of busy right now. What's wrong?' Harry said as he answered her phone call.

'Harry. I've found out some information that could lead us to finding Ginny…' Hermione began to explain. She then had hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The healing spell that Dennis used in this chapter ("Reverterpullulare Vulnera") is a spell invented by me (. It was inspired by Snape's spell "Vulnera Sanentur"). The history of the healing spell in this story is that it was created after Snape's death by Aurors who needed a fast-acting healing spell if another battle should ever rise. Spells like this would also allow Dark Wizards to be tried in courts rather than die by curses used to bring them in. It doesn't work as well as it should hear because Dennis DID NOT use a song-like voice when casting the spell. The words of "Reverterpullulare Vulnera" are Latin in orgin. Revertere in Latin means 'turn back time' and 'pullulare' means to spring forth. "Vulnera" means wound. Thus, another name for it is "The Spring Healing Spell." 
> 
> In the meantime, please leave a comment and tell me what you thought about Draco and Hermione's "quid pro quo"?


	11. The Black Pug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the mystery of Ginny's disappearance starts to unravel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: The usual dark subject matter, with some disturbing elements.

**_ Chapter Eleven - The Black Pug  _ **

* * *

_I am_ _really_ _losing my mind now. I don't know how long I can go on living on the drops of water my abductor serves me. Does he serve you better? Is that why you won't answer me?_ _Please, PLEASE talk to me._ _Love, Ginny._

* * *

Auror Harry Potter walked into the shabby muggle pub on business. More specifically, the business of his newest case, _The Black Pug._ He didn't want to do this – he wanted to find his wife, his Ginny, but without the case files or the evidence he didn't have a chance. _Damn, Bulstrode. Damn him to hell._ Harry thought.

Still, if he wanted to continue doing some good in the wizarding world, he had to get on with the case. He let out a yawn as he scanned the pub for his suspect.

'She's over there.' Said Auror Ronald Weasley from behind Auror Potter.

Harry looked at Ron who nodded his head to the left of the pub, towards the booths. Only one booth was occupied with a single young woman with brown hair that Harry and Ron had seen get cut into a cheekbone-length bob and full-fringe at a pricey muggle hair salon that morning. They had started following her undercover two days ago. Auror Potter and Auror Weasley were now in disguise from the use of Polyjuice Potion, posing as two muggle men who they had stolen hairs from in a muggle nightclub the night before.

'Let's approach her. I'll go over there first, while you sit at this table [Harry puts his hand on the two-seat table closest to him] and wait for me to signal you to come over.' Harry told Ron. Ron responded by taking a seat at the table.

Auror Potter took a breath and then proceeded to walk casually over to the table where the young woman was sat.

'Can I buy you a drink?' Harry asked, trying to flirt, but it was so awkward and unnatural for him to do. His brown-bobbed suspect, who was in fact Pansy Parkinson, raised an eyebrow at him.

'You could do so much more than buy me a drink after last night, Josh. After all, your lips got to know me _so well._ ' Pansy said with a sultry voice. She then leant forward, grabbed the black shirt of an unsuspecting Auror Potter, and pulled him onto the seat beside her. Harry found himself blushing at her forwardness. _Shit,_ Harry thought. _I totally forgot for a second that Pansy made out with this muggle in the nightclub._ 'But as you can see, I've already got a drink.' Pansy said as she raised her ¾ full cocktail glass (with the hand that wasn't on Harry's person). Pansy's manicured hand loosened her grip on "Josh's" shirt and her long pink nails raised up to stroke his jawline.

'Yeah, of course. Right…I just wanted an excuse to talk to you.' Harry said, nervously. He tried to make it look like he was a nervous guy trying to flirt with a girl he liked, but for Harry, he was just _nervous._ That much was obvious if Pansy could see the sweat forming on the back of his neck. Harry was thankful she couldn't. _Bulstrode can be kissed by dementors – I did not sign up for this uncover crap. I'm just not trained for it!_ Harry thought as Pansy leaned in too close.

'Oh Josh, my sweet, sweet, Joshy, you never need an excuse to get with me.' Pansy whispered silkily into Harry's ear. Then she quickly angled his head and swooped in for a passionate kiss.

Her lips were smooth, like satin, and the taste was of the sweetest cherries as she moved her lips against Harry's frozen ones. Harry didn't know what to do. He was too stunned by Parkinson's advances. She was just so confident in her seductive – it was so unbelievable that this was the bitchy Slytherin that he went to school with. She had grown up and in that tight little leather jacket with clearly _nothing_ underneath, even a gentleman like Harry Potter could see that Pansy Parkinson had _grown up_ in all the right places.

Harry then thought of one single word.

_Ginny._

* * *

XXX

* * *

_He says I am "almost perfect" now. What the fuck does that mean? He shoved me in front of the mirror and I can't stand the sight of myself anymore. I am as skinny as a little child now. There's nothing left of me. Then he just left without a word and left me with two rolls of toilet paper. I know now that you certainly won't answer me and I am beginning to wonder if he's killed you already, but writing is the only thing keeping me sane – and alive – Ginny._

* * *

XXX

* * *

He immediately pushed Parkinson away.

Pansy stared back at him, breathless and in shock. 'Josh? Whatever…is…the matter…with… _you?'_ Pansy said with confusion.

'Sorry, Pansy…I'm um, just not in the mood to do with so many onlookers.' Harry said. Pansy looked around the pub and found there was only one "muggle" in the pub. Pansy stared back at "Josh" even harder.

'What are you going on about Josh? The pub is dead.' Pansy said and leaned in for another kiss – thankfully, Ron (under Polyjuice) showed up at the booth just in time to "rescue Harry from his fate".

'Sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering if you wanted a drink, mate?' Ron said to Harry as he put a brotherly arm around his shoulder. The glimpse of Ron's face Harry had caught before his best mate had sat down beside him was of anger. Harry knew he'd have to explain "the mistake" of his "kiss" with Parkinson later.

'Yeah, drinks would be great. Just a butterbeer thanks.' Harry replied as he pulled away from Pansy.

'OK. What the fuck is up? No, in fact, who fucking _are_ you two?' Pansy loudly demanded, before leaning closer. 'It may have escaped your notice, _Josh,_ but we are in a muggle pub, and in muggle pubs, they don't sell, "butterbeer".' Pansy hissed before pulling back. 'I know now that you're Aurors, so you might as well quit fucking stalking me and get on with questioning me.'

Harry and Ron had no idea what to say.

Pansy continued to stare at them both. 'Alright Weasley, you can cut the crap. You haven't taken enough Polyjuice to disguise your ginger-ness.' Pansy said. Ron instantly went to look up and feel his locks. Harry sighed and shook his head as Ron's hair was still the mousey-brown, partly shaved, head of the "muggle" he had failed at posing as.

Pansy laughed. 'Made you look. Seriously they send you two idiots? Out of all the meat for brains.' Pansy shook her head.

Ron burned a bright red before pointing his wand at Pansy Parkinson.

'You're seriously pointing that at me? In _here?_ ' Pansy Parkinson said.

'We are far from idiots, Parkinson. And we _know_ that your pug-nosed self is _The Black Pug,_ the criminal thief who has been stealing artefacts from The Ministry.' Ron exploded.

Pansy had her hands in front of Ron and Harry's faces and she shrieked 'S _tupefy'._ No sooner had she casted the wandless magic than she was running towards the stairs of the pub.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley got up from the effects the spell and casted up the stairs after the witch.

Just as Harry had reached the top of the stairs did he hear the slam of a shutting door from higher ground. 'She's on the roof!' Harry shouted to Ron, who ran past his friends, to catch Parkinson.

Harry was running too when his mobile phone started to ring. He immediately knew who it was. Thus, still running, he answered.

'Hermione? I'm kind of busy right now. What's wrong?' Harry said as he answered her phone call.

'Harry. I've found out some information that could lead us to finding Ginny…' Hermione began to explain.

Harry's heart began to pound even harder than it was through running. He stopped running.

'What information? Hermione hurry up and tell me what you know about Ginny?' Harry commanded impatiently.

'You need to check the case files of The Blood Sucker, Draco Malfoy told me so, you need to see if-' Harry couldn't hear the rest of Hermione's words as Ron's voiced pierced through Harry's ears.

'Harry, she's on the roof and she's getting away!' Ron shouted.

'I've got to go, 'Mione.'

'Harry, wait! I want to look at the case files with you, I know it breaks some rules but-'

**'HARRY!'**

'Okay, fine. Just, bye.' Harry said and slammed the phone shut as he raced to catch to up with Ron and Parkinson.

By the time Harry got to the roof of the pub, however, Ron was saying. 'She's gone, she jumped.' Ron said. Harry immediately went over to the edge of the roof and looked down.

There was no body. Just a teenage girl with luscious silvery blonde hair walking a dog down on the streets below. The dog was black, but from this distance Harry couldn't tell the breed up from the height he was at.

'That's her. That dog. That's got to be Parkinson.' He said and prepared to jump.

'Harry, no! That girl had a dog before Parkinson jumped. Don't try, you might kill yourself.' Ron reasoned as he grabbed his best friend's arm.

'I've got to try and catch her, Ron. It's our job.' Harry replied and tried to shove Ron away from his arm. Ron didn't budge an inch and instead grabbed onto his other arm too.

'Suicide is not our job, Harry – besides, she's gone now.' Ron said. Harry looked down once more and found that Ron was right. The teenage girl and her dog were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

XXX

* * *

After taking care of Draco in the Infirmary, Hermione's day should have been easier, and indeed it would have been. It would have been if she had not been assigned as the healer in charge of Lucian's newest and youngest patient, Melinda McCready. At eleven years old Melinda Miki McCready looked too young to be there as she sat with frightened eyes at her in the XS patient attire that was still far too baggy for her.

Hermione didn't want the job really, and it was only after Healer Leland's insistence that she take on another patient after Daphne Greengrass had left the Asylum, as well as Healer Napier's remarks that "Granger is too young and inexperienced to take on such a complicated patient" that she had accepted.

It had been tough even trying to get around to asking Melinda McCready to talk about her life which had led her to become a world-wide assassin at such a young age and McCready, in turn, did not speak to her at all as she sat in her isolated cell (the one that was made just for her, away from all the other patients).

Hermione was in the boat that said that McCready had been so brainwashed by her father that her personal disorders would be better treated in Mungo's psychiatric ward for young people rather than at The Lucian Asylum, but "a courts vote is a courts vote".

* * *

Therefore, Hermione was relieved rather than distressed when she arrived at Grimmauld's Place after work to see Harry. Harry on the other hand, was the definition of the words "a mess".

Hermione approached Harry's Study with a bit of nervousness as she heard something be tossed and hit the wall with a _**thud.**_

Hermione jumped at the sound.

Summoning her Gryffindor bravery, Hermione placed her hand on the door handle and pushed the door opening gently, not wanting to startle her already volatile friend.

'Every fucking theory is wrong! **ALL FUCKING WRONG!'** Harry screamed furiously as he threw another book into the air. He went to grab another book, but Hermione charged toward him and grabbed it out of his hand.

'Harry calm down! You'll wake little James Sirius!' Hermione said quickly. She hoped that she would get him to listen to her through his love for his son. Instead Harry simply stopped huffing and puffing with anger and stared at his best friend.

'Ja-James is at The Burrow, Hermione. I realised that it wasn't safe for him here anymore.' Harry said, much, much slower than before. Hermione breathed a small sigh of relief.

'Good. I think I've got something from Malfoy about Ginny's whereabouts-'

Harry grabbed Hermione by the shoulders. 'What? What is it, Hermione?'

'But I'd need to see the case files first.' Hermione said.

'They are over here.' Harry replied and pointed to his desk. Hermione then moved past Harry to look at the case files sprawled across the desk. She pulled them all out the case and methodically laid each one on the desk in order of abduction date, so she could get a good view of each one.

_Evey Emmerson (deceased), Jennifer Turner (deceased), June Lunne-Ludlow (alive), Cassidy O'Brien (deceased), Lita Lyon (deceased), Brooke Ward (deceased), Emma Murphy (deceased), Fabienne Schulz (alive), Kylie Morrison (deceased), Selina Le Roux (deceased), Hestia Carrow (deceased), Rosalie Evans (missing), Ginevra Potter (missing)._

Out of the thirteen-young woman connected to The Blood Sucker Case all except Ginevra Potter were between 13 to 18 years of age. Ginevra Potter at 23 years old is the oldest victim, second only to Fabienne Schulz who was a day off nineteen years old after her escape (though she refused to give interviews). The youngest was Rosalie Evans at thirteen years old. Most where noted as "students" but Evans was regarded as a "schoolgirl" and Emmerson (Recognised as The Blood Sucker's first victim) was noted to be a "sex worker".

Hermione's theory about The Blood Sucker only kidnapping redheads was also proving to be incorrect. June Lunne-Ludlow has dark blonde hair on all her photos. Brooke Ward had dark-brown-almost-black hair on most of her photos, although there was one where she had dyed ginger hair; the same went for Lita Lyon, she had a multitude of hair colours in all her pictures, from blonde to neon-pink hair and Hestia Carrow was a brunette.

'I was wrong, Harry. I thought that they'd all be redheads, but they aren't.' Hermione apologised and shook her head at the images of primarily muggle women (except for Hestia Carrow and Ginny Potter).

When she looked back at Harry Potter however; he looked far from disappointed…instead he looked like he was having a light-bulb moment.

'What if they all were redheads at one point, Hermione?' Harry said with strange enthusiasm. 'What if, on the night they were murdered, all of these girls had ginger hair like Ginny's?'

'Harry how is that -'

'C'mon, don't play dumb Hermione. Think about it. They are muggles and I know enough about muggles to know that they dye their hair. They are even temporary dyes these days that can change your hair colour for one night. What if June Lunne-Ludlow and Fabienne Schulz were exposed as not being natural red heads like Ginny was? That's why he didn't kill them.' Harry said.

'But-but why would someone want random red headed girls?' Hermione questioned.

Harry looked at the case files harder than he had ever looked at them before.

He shook his head. 'They aren't random, Hermione. Look at them. They all look like younger versions of Ginny.' Harry noticed. Hermione leaned forward and took another look.

Harry was right. In one way or another, all the women reminded her a little bit of Ginny. With Evey Emmerson it was like she was Ginny's twin, they were exact same height, weight, and had the same eyes and face structure. It was also obvious that Emmerson had the same naturally red hair as Ginny too.

Emmerson, O'Brien, Schulz and Ward all had eyes pretty much the exact same shade and colour as Ginny Potter. While Lyon, Turner, Morrison, Le Roux, had the same face shape. Hestia Carrow was an anomaly except for the fact that she had been seen in several magazines that she had dyed her hair red for her upcoming marriage to Theodore Nott (before she disappeared, and he was imprisoned). Evans looked too young and had green eyes. However, all had exceptionally fair skin of the exact same shade and they all looked extremely young for their ages (except for Rosalie Evans who looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old).

All of those classed as "deceased" had their bodies being mailed to The Ministry in coffins marked as such.

'I see your point, Harry.' Hermione said. '"Evans", Harry. Could she be a relative of yours? I hate to say it at a time like this, but Rosalie Evans looks or maybe looked an awful lot like your mother.'

'No. It can't be. I didn't have any other family besides the Dursleys.' Harry said adamantly, not wanting to even think about it.

'You didn't have any other family who knew about wizards Harry.' Hermione said quietly as she continued to study the case files. 'All these girls were so young, and they were all students. In the small printed notes, it says that Evey Emmerson was a student at Edinburgh University until she dropped out and Rosalie Evans was still at school. Harry…do you think it could have been someone who'd known Ginny at school? The Blood Sucker obviously started their life of crime in Scotland years ago and it says here "he was opportunist that abducts young women and girls at night". Do you think he abducts young girls on the basis of their similarity to Ginny and her circumstances when they met?'

'I'm not sure.' Harry admitted.

Hermione thought for a minute.

'Harry, the case files say that Fabienne Schulz is studying at university in London. There's even an address for her student accommodation. Do you think we could go to see her?' Hermione asked. She knew that visiting June Lunne-Ludlow was out of the question as the muggle girl was noted to be in a psychiatric facility.

Harry shook his head. 'Hermione there are rules as Aurors about questioning muggles-'

'Then let's not go as Aurors lets go as regular people looking for our loved one.' Hermione said. 'You technically are off the case now anyway.' Harry stared at her and then nodded.

'Alright.' Harry said finally. 'Do we tell Ron?'

'No.' Hermione decided after a moment. 'It's his sister we are talking about and Ron can't always put his feelings to one side.' Hermione said. 'Get the car and I'll be with you in a moment.' Harry agreed and left the room.

Hermione takes out her wand and casts 'Expecto Patronum' to send a message to Lectore Bulstrode. _I know Harry won't like this, but he could help us._

* * *

XXX

* * *

_I know Harry would be disappointed in me but try as hard as I might I cannot use my Patronus to send a message. I have no happy thoughts as I am starving and can't think straight in this hellhole. I keep trying but my will is losing the battle. A part of me wishes that my abductor would just hurry the fuck up and kill me already! – Ginny._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I am back...and I am hoping to see your names in the review section. Please let me know what you thought of the mystery unravelling? Do you like it? What did you think about this version of Pansy Parkinson?  
> Love you guys!  
> Happy Reading!  
> Love,  
> Fantasticlavendercrystals xx


	12. Fabienne Schulz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Harry and Hermione go question Fabienne Schulz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: Mentions of suicide and dark subject matter.

**_Chapter Twelve – Fabienne Schulz_ **

* * *

_He's demanded that I eat the garlic bread and rather than fight him off tooth and nail I ate it. It tasted good and I was – grateful. Grateful to my kidnapper and abductor. I really hate myself. I realise how fucking stupid I was to hang around a disgusting dumpster waiting for the latest Quidditch scoop alone. And now, I've got what I deserve. I really don't feel like Ginny anymore._

* * *

XXX

* * *

Healer Hermione Granger and Auror Harry Potter drove in Harry's car to the student village in London where they hoped to find Fabienne Schulz. Hermione felt strange emotions driving towards the student accommodation. _It's funny, if I had never been born a muggleborn witch, I'd most likely be studying here right now, or someplace like it. A part of me wishes I had._ Hermione thought. _I wonder if like would have been better, I wouldn't have known about Voldemort, or Bellatrix Lestrange, or Draco Malfoy, or Bulstrode or Leland…or Ron or Harry or Ginny._ Hermione snapped herself out of her rather depressing train of thought as Harry stopped the car at the student flats.

'She's in Flat 17, Block A.' Harry told Hermione as they got out the car. They went towards the flats and ascended the stairs to Flat 17, Block A.

'The door is open.' Harry noticed as he looked at the door to Flat 17; the door was ajar. Hermione nodded.

'She must be home.' Hermione agreed and knocked on the door…but there was no answer. She knocked again.

Still no answer.

'Fabienne must have forgot to lock her door.' Hermione shrugged and went to push the door open, but Harry grabbed her arm.

'Wait 'Mione, let's not go in touching things without gloves.' Harry said and pulled out two pairs of black gloves from his coat pocket. Hermione took a pair and slipped them on before pushing open the door to Flat 37, Block A.

The first thing Hermione noticed was the jumbled state of the room. The single bed in the student flat was unmade and a mass of clothes and old books had been thrown over it and the floor. There was also a black pug dog on the bed, sleeping soundly.

Harry stepped on something. Hermione heard him pick that something up.

'Hermione? Look at this. It's a letter telling Fabienne Schulz that she was meant to hand in the keys weeks ago and this was written in January.' Harry said. Hermione turned and picked up another letter off the floor. The one Hermione held was from the university itself and saying that she'll be kicked off her Business course if "she continues to miss her lectures".

'Harry, Fabienne – she might not be living here anymore…' Hermione said…but just as soon as Hermione had finished speaking, a voice started speaking from behind her.

'Vhat are you, doin' 'ere? Vho are you? Vhat are you doing in my flat? I am not leaving!' Said a women's voice with an indescribable accent that was distinctly had Russian influences and was trying to sound German yet seemed to have influences from all over the world.

'We aren't trying to evict you.' Harry said as he turned around to greet the women. Fabienne Schulz stood in the doorway wearing loose jeans and a hot pink crop top with the word " _FAB_ " written in white bubble-writing.

'Oh. It's you.' Fabienne Schulz said and a small smile appeared on her face at the sight of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

'You know me?' Asked Harry.

'Yes. I mean no. I just recognised your face from somewhere that's all.' Fabienne Schulz said. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw the black pug had awakened and was watching them all very closely now.

'We're just here to ask you some-' Hermione said but was interrupted by the voice of Lectore Bulstrode from behind her.

' _YOU?'_ Bulstrode exclaimed and Hermione turned her head to see him staring straight at Fabienne Schulz.

'Vho are you?' Fabienne Schulz asked Bulstrode. Bulstrode smirked darkly and raised an eyebrow at her.

'I believe that's my line, _"Ms Schulz".'_ Lectore Bulstrode said and Hermione realised that he had his wand pointed towards the muggle student. Hermione was too shocked to say anything. 'Dennis, you see the decorative sugar bowls and boxes on that desk over by the window there? Search them and see if you can find any Polyjuice Potion.' Wordlessly, Dennis did as he was told.

While Auror Creevey worked, Auror Bulstrode continued to aim his wand at Fabienne Schulz.

'You know what? Ms _Schulz,_ your case has been bugging me for what? One half, maybe even two years now? You see, you refused to talk about your unbelievably miraculous escape from the deathly clutches of The Blood Sucker and I couldn't question you because of the laws about questioning muggles. But you know, the really _funny_ thing was that there was this one unidentified potential victim, around the time of your escape, who showed up in the River Lea, who looked _exactly like you._ Now, the bigot coroner wouldn't let me run a DNA test on that body because he called it "muggle voodoo", but I think we both know whose body that _was.'_

'I found the Polyjuice Potion, sir!' Dennis called to Bulstrode as he fished the potion out of the sugar bowl on the student-desk.

'Good job, Dennis! Now do me another favour and get that pug. It doesn't seem like your average lap dog to me.' Bulstrode ordered.

At his words, the black pug jumped off the bed and ran for the door as Dennis tried to grab it.

 _'Petrificus Totalus.'_ Hermione said as she blocked the pug's path. The black pug froze still. Hermione waved her wand again and the black pug revealed to be a spell-binded Pansy Parkinson.

'I knew it!' Harry exclaimed.

'Well, well, well. Pansy Parkinson. Pureblood witch, am I right? Tell me, _sweetheart_ , what would a muggle be doing in the presence of a Slytherin witch?' Bulstrode asked, his tone was mocking. 'Tell me your name and confirm what I already know.'

"Fabienne's" face went from shocked to blank in a second.

'Oh, fine. Let's quit the games now, Leo.' "Fabienne" said.

Bulstrode's face turned red.

'Don't you ever call me by that name, _ever again!_ ' Bulstrode snarled angrily as he pointed his wand harder at her.

'Oh why? Because it was poor Cee-Cee's little nickname for you?' "Fabienne" said mockingly.

Bulstrode snapped. In a second "Fabienne Schulz" was pinned up against the wall with a wand digging into the side of her neck.

'Don't. You. _Dare._ Mention. Her. Again. It's your fault she's dead.' Lectore Bulstrode said. She laughed.

'Oh, no, _no,_ _Leo._ It's my fault she's not _un_ -dead. It's yours and your daddy-dearests fault that she's dead in the first place.' "Fabienne Schulz" said with a cold laugh and grin.

Bulstrode looked like he wanted to hit her hard, but he refrained. 'Your name.'

'Fabienne.'

Bulstrode then returned her cold grin. 'Try something a bit closer to your accent.'

' _Leo_ na.' The girl said. Bulstrode pushed her into the wall in anger, and in the process, she hit her head.

'Wrong. Answer.'

'Anya.'

'We're getting warmer now.' Bulstrode said.

"Fabienne" or "Anya" looked him up and down.

'Hmm…I think I prefer being colder. _Auf Wiedersehen, Leo._ ' Suddenly the girl vanished into thin air and her clothes fell in a heap onto the ground. Lectore Bulstrode suddenly leaped at the shadow of a girl on the wall that had oddly not vanished with its owner.

The shadow was far too fast though and rushed away to the wall next to the open window. The shadow jumped and a girl with silvery blonde hair appeared out of nowhere and leaped out of the window.

'Damn you! I can't believe you're using your old tricks!' Bulstrode called after her. He muttered something under his breath before turning to Dennis, Harry, and Hermione. 'Ms Granger. I just wanted to apologise for thinking you to be the typical uppity healer. You and Potter both have really opened a can of worms on this one. We'll take Parkinson in, but while we are busy with her, please can you do me a favour and question Ms June Cynthia Lunne-Ludlow at St Mungos? She is likely the only surviving victim of the Blood Sucker.'

* * *

XXX

* * *

_He's putting garlic in the water as well as forcing the bread down my neck. Why? I don't know and now here's snapped my wand. It is a certainty I am to die, and to be honest, right now, death couldn't come soon enough – Ginny._

* * *

XXX

* * *

Aurors Dennis Creevey and Lectore Bulstrode were stood in the office of the Head of the Auror Office.

'…I don't give a pixie about how complex the case may be, Bulstrode! You would do well to remember your place. Not to mention more faith in your partner and protégé. Creevey, get out of my office right now and question Miss Pansy Parkinson immediately. Bulstrode, you can get on with the paperwork you never fill out. This meeting is over as of now and I am going to get my overpriced coffee.' Gawain Robards said and without further discussion, stormed out of the room.

 _He never did like Mr Bulstrode,_ Dennis thought to himself. Bulstrode looked down at Dennis kindly.

'I tried to get you out of this Dennis, as I don't think you're ready for someone like her yet, but we haven't got a choice so just remember-'

'Bulstrode! Paperwork!' Robards shouted from outside the office.

'…Remember your training and you'll be fine.' Bulstrode finished quickly and rushed out of the Head Office and headed to his own office. Leaving Dennis to take deep breaths as he went to the interrogation rooms.

Pansy Parkinson was resisting being hauled into the interrogation when Dennis got there. 'Pup-please…I don't want to be in here…I am claustrophobic, please get me a bigger room?' Pansy cried with real tears.

'What do we do, Dennis?' Asked one of the young Aurors trying to control Parkinson.

'Erm…um…take her to Interrogation Room 101, it's the biggest one we have.' Dennis said with uncertainty. He really didn't know how to handle this.

Pansy didn't resist as Dennis and the other young Aurors escorted her there. She sat down still shivering in fright.

'Erm would you like some water?' Dennis asked.

Pansy's eyes lit up. 'Yes, please. Would you get it for me as I'm cuffed to the table?' She held up her handcuffed hands.

'Sure.' Dennis said knowing the other Aurors where outside the door.

Auror Dennis Creevey then left Interrogation Room 101 to get her some water out of the watercooler down the hall.

* * *

XXX

* * *

 _That was far too easy,_ Pansy thought as she started to use wandless magic. She smiled as she heard the chain of her ankle bracelet snap away from her foot. She then made the lavender-coloured crystal that was attached to the chain levitate, until it was close enough to touch the handcuffs. Pansy magically added the necessary pressure. She flinched as the lavender crystal caused flaming sparks as it cut through the metal of the handcuffs and set her free. Pansy then gripped hold of the crystal and looked at it: s _o, it turns out stealing you from the Ministry's vaults was more than worth my while._

Pansy stood up and wondered over to the left wall. _"Her Highness" better have been telling the truth._ She knelt and on the third large stone along the wall, tapped the crystal seven times on it.

The stone in the wall magically moved aside on the seventh tap. Pansy looked inside the hole it had left in the wall and saw a tunnel inside. The smell of freshly cut grass and a strong breeze was coming from the other end of the tunnel.

_Oh, look. My own personal doggy-door. How convenient. Next stop, Aster Estate. It's time to get that time-turner back off Lucius Malfoy._

Pansy Parkinson conjured her pug mask and put it on her face before crawling through the tunnel to freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: There's that Slytherin really coming out again in Pansy. And, I agree it was "worth stealing" lavender crystals, as they really are quite fantastic. ;')  
> The mention of "the Aster Estate" is an Easter Egg for those who are reading my other fanfiction, 'The Pureblood Society'. In 'Mad Love' it is where Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy now live permanently.  
> Please let me know if you liked this chapter and story as a whole. Your thoughts are my encouragement.  
> I am updating fast as I really want to see the end to this mystery :')  
> Happy Reading!  
> Love Fantasticlavendercrystals xx


	13. Deus Ex Machina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which a patient at St Mungos helps in the search to find Ginny Potter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: my use of showing a character stutter is based off of JK Rowling's way of showing Quirrell Stutter in 'The Philosopher's Stone.' I do not wish or mean to offend anyone.  
> Also when I use / in dialogue such as in this example: /hi how are you/  
> /hey, what's up/  
> It indicates that two or more characters are speaking at the exact same time over each other. This technique is based off the technique used in screenplays.  
> WARNINGS: Are the same as always – dark subject matter ahead.

 

* * *

_**Chapter Thirteen - Deus Ex Machina** _

* * *

They couldn't see June Lunne-Ludlow until the next day, so they invited Bulstrode and Creevey to be there with them in case they needed help. For that reason, Bulstrode brought Katana along too.

At 6:00 am, Healer Hermione Granger rang in "sick" at work. By 10:30 am, she and Auror Harry Potter were sat on a rock-hard sofa in the waiting room of St Mungos hospital with Auror Lectore Bulstrode and Auror Dennis Creevey and Faith Katana. It wasn't visiting hours until 10:45 am, and even with Bulstrode practically waving his Senior Auror badge in the receptionist's face, she wasn't budging on letting them in to see June Lunne-Ludlow.

'Has anybody else noticed how, when you're bored out of your mind, your watch's hands seem to take a freaking hour rather than a minute to go full circle?' Bulstrode said as he continued to bore into his watch, as if staring at it continually would make time go by faster.

'You know these magazines aren't at all that bad, Mr Bulstrode, sir. Some of them are new. Like look at this one, it's a new crime magazine for the wizarding world…' Dennis said as he held up a magazine that had the words _"RedRum"_ written in scarlet letting on the cover. Hermione smiled at Dennis as she knew he was trying his best to please his partner and cheer him up.

Dennis began to quote an article. 'Look, look! This article was written by a muggleborn like me, her name's Saskia Shadey: she's written _'Muggle Madness: The Blood Sucker remains on the lose killing innocent muggle women, the Head Auror Office and Senior Auror Lectore Bulstrode refuse to comment to RedRum as the scandal continues and so do the Aurors failings' –_ oh, actually, sorry sir, this magazine is poppycock actually; the writer's clearly off her rocker and -'

'I hate magazines.' Katana said.

Bulstrode sighed and wiped his face frustratedly with his hands. ' _Thank you,_ Dennis.' Bulstrode said, his voice didn't show much sarcasm, but it did sound very tired. Hermione could tell that both the press and Auror work in general was beating Bulstrode down hard today.

No one said anything else as two more minutes past.

Then the doors to St Mungo's waiting room opened and Neville Longbottom stepped inside with a priest in tow.

/ 'Neville?'/ Hermione said upon seeing her school friend and co-worker. She stood up and started to approach him. 'What are you doing here?'

/ 'Anybody want coffee? / I'm in the mood for a coffee.' Bulstrode said as he stood up.

'No.' Katana replied.

'I'd like a cream soda.' Dennis called as Bulstrode walked over to the little refreshment stand at the far end of the waiting room.

'You got it, kid!' Bulstrode called back as he was half-way to the refreshment stand.

'Hello, Hermione. I'm here to see Hannah.' Neville answered. Hermione noticed that Neville was far paler than usual and looked tense.

Hermione assumed he was talking about Hannah Abbott, as she was Neville's long-term girlfriend since after The Battle of Hogwarts. They had been in a happy relationship until Hannah suddenly seemed to quit being a Pysch-Healer at The Lucian Asylum after only a month of working there beyond her internship. Hermione had always assumed it had been simply to do with the volatile patients and the gruelling round-the-clock work schedule that had caused Hannah to go, but now looking at Neville with an out-of-place priest she wasn't so sure.

'Why is Hannah here, Neville?' Hermione asked. Neville's hands were clenching into tight fists. He didn't answer. Instead Neville Longbottom's face was twisting in apparent rage. 'Neville, you can tell me. You can tell me anything. I'll do my best to understand.' Hermione said honestly, sensing underneath the fury, Neville needed comforting – there were tears forming in his eyes.

'Because that **bastard** Auror you've been _hanging out with_ lately Hermione has practically _**killed her!**_ ' Neville's voice had escalated into a shout as he snapped his head around to glare at the back of Lectore Bulstrode.

Seconds later, Dennis Creevey had his wand whipped out of his coat and he was aiming it at Neville Longbottom. 'Don't speak about my partner that way!' Dennis fumed at Neville.

'Dennis, no!' Harry exclaimed.

'Dennis, you don't need to do that.' Hermione said, trying her hardest to stay calm in this situation.

'Yes, Dennis. You can let me handle it.' Katana said as she stood up and her hand went to grab her sword.

'Woah, woah, Dennis! Easy, kid. Just take it easy. Katana! Please could you put that sword away!' Bulstrode shouted as his coffee cup was forgotten about and he raced over to prevent Dennis from doing something the younger man might regret. Bulstrode, in a flash, was at Dennis's side and he gently lowered Dennis's wand arm.

Neville himself by then had a wand up at Auror Creevey too.

'Listen, Longbottom. You can put your wand away too, Dennis and Katana – they're just protective, alright? Neither mean you any real harm.' Bulstrode reasoned with Neville Longbottom. 'This is between you and me, man to man, just us. Please, don't involve them.' Bulstrode said.

Neville looked Bulstrode hard in the eyes and quickly shifted his wand from Dennis to Lectore Bulstrode.

'You're right. This is between me and you. You were the motherfucker that sent Hannah to her death that night in Diagon Alley. I don't give a flying Hippogriff what the courts said, **YOU ARE KILLING HER!** You didn't give a shit about the collateral damage so long as you get your case closed. You cared more about catching Daphne bloody Greengrass than protecting wizarding society!' Neville roared in Bulstrode's face.

Bulstrode seemed collected and cool but there was an angry tone in his next utterances.

'Yeah that's your side to the story. But there's _two_ sides Neville, not one. Yes, the _papaver nars_ hit your girlfriend Hannah Abbott and those bloody thorns got stuck in her. Believe me when I say my apology to you in the courts and my apology to you and Hannah Abbott now, was and is genuine. I am sorry, Neville. You don't know how many nights I've lied awake thinking about the pain and suffering I have in part caused you both.' Bulstrode said. Hermione watched as she saw the tears appear in his brown eyes. Neville's green eyes looked steely into Bulstrode's, but the rest of his face looked heartbroken.

The _papaver nars_ are rare, magical, flowers (that look uncannily like poppy flowers) that are found in the sands of The Sahara Desert. They are known in wizarding Africa and parts of wizarding Asia to be a very rare but very ancient medicine as the milky fluid that comes from the seeds of the flowers is the most effective pain relief known to man. However, from Hannah Abbott's case, healers at St Mungos in Britain have discovered that there is another breed of _papaver nars_ and this certain breed has thorns that can prick the human flesh and release a venomous substance that causes the body tempature to slowly heat up to dangerously high temperatures. However, even the usual healing breed of _papaver nars_ were so rare that the last time a wizard or witch saw a _papaver nar_ was over three hundred years ago. What Daphne Greengrass did was nothing short of unbelievable to be able to create the right conditions for this new breed of _papaver nars_ to survive.

Lectore Bulstrode continued speaking. ' _But_ Neville, what gives me the peace of mind to sleep at all is the fact that I caught Daphne Greengrass. And I know this goes against whatever's going on inside your head at the minute, but it was Greengrass, not me, that sent the curse that hit poor Hannah Abbott…'

'Lia-'

'Watch your tongue.' Katana hissed at Neville. Bulstrode looked to Katana for a split second and his eyes told her to _"back off"._

'Don't call me a liar, until you've heard me all out, Longbottom. That's not very smart. I get where you're coming from, when the jury heard how much pain Ms Abbott is in, when you explained your horror at being so unfortunate to be the only ones there that night besides me and Greengrass. If it wasn't for my memories going into the pensieve in that trial, showing the courts that I was deflecting Greengrass's _papaver nars_ rather than aiming that them at Hannah Abbott, then I know for a fact that I would be in Azkaban right now.'

'Your story was so truthful and so heart-breaking that I'm sure, if I had gotten any of the facts confused, I would never see the light of day again. I don't know if I should tell you this, but I think you have a right to know as it affected you. Greengrass was growing those bloody _papaver nars_ in her own bloody home, not to mention creating hundreds of over deadly plants, and from the sheer amount of her stores, it was obvious to me that this wasn't about her sister. I pray the Lucian has straightened her out. Time, I guess, will only tell.' Lectore Bulstrode finished quietly; Hermione noted he spoke with the tranquillity of a therapist. It was just unfortunate that Bulstrode's words or gentleness had no effect on Neville Longbottom.

'That sounds like a lot of planned out _bullshit_ you're sprouting, Bulstrode.' Neville replied. He then turned to face Hermione and Harry. 'Since you've obviously chosen to blindly follow this piece of shit, I'll see you later. Right now, I'm going to marry the love of my life and continue thinking of ways to save her life, as right now, nobody else seems to be too bothered!' Neville said and stormed off before anyone could say another word.

The priest who had stood still and silent for all of Neville's out-burst, nervously followed Neville to the ward where Hannah Abbott was.

The St Mungos receptionist then came over.

'Excuse me, but I just wanted to say that visiting hours have begun, and you can go see your cousin, Miss Lunne-Ludlow now, Miss Granger.' The receptionist said; after Bulstrode's "Auror card" had failed to gain entry, Hermione had taken it upon herself to lie and say she was June Lunne-Ludlow's "cousin" to be able to visit her. As Lunne-Ludlow was a muggle and Hermione was a muggleborn, there weren't any hard questions to answer as nobody ever looked in either women's family tree.

* * *

[Hermione waked beside Bulstrode's at his right, Harry was on his left, and Dennis and Katana were behind them all]. The receptionist walked a good few paces in front as she escorted Hermione, Harry, Bulstrode, and Dennis to " _the St Mungos psychiatric ward for adult witches and wizards."_ It was only when Hermione read the direction signs on the way to the ward that she had to ask the question…

'Why is a muggle woman in a wizarding psychiatric ward?'

Both Harry and Dennis shrugged. Lectore Bulstrode turned to her as they walked at a slow and steady pace.

'That was my first thoughts when reading her case file. But honestly, I don't know.' Bulstrode said and looked towards Harry Potter.

'I wasn't allowed to see her because of her "fragile state" and I couldn't get a court order to bypass the orders of the healers here at St Mungos. No one would say anything more about Ms Lunne-Ludlow as apparently she _"doesn't talk much"._ ' Harry explained (quiet enough so the receptionist couldn't hear him). 'It was utter crap, if you ask me.'

'If she doesn't talk much then why are we here? What is the point?' Hermione asked just as quietly.

'Because if one victim was a fake, because Lord knows that wasn't " _Fabienne Schulz"_ yesterday, then maybe there's more to this fucking mystery than I originally thought.' Bulstrode replied.

'Excuse me Bulstrode, but if that wasn't Fabienne Schulz, then who was it?' Asked Harry in a similarly hushed voice to Hermione and Bulstrode.

'That, Potter, is a question where you have to ask yourself: _do I really wanna know?'_ Bulstrode replied bluntly. Harry's hard stare at the Senior Auror told Hermione everything she needed to know: Harry did want to know, and he wasn't about to give up. Bulstrode knew that too.

Bulstrode sighed. 'All you need to know is Potter is that she is a woman that has mastered deception and trickery. We have a history that I want to remain _history._ She'll make your life hell if you interfere with hers.'

'But Bulstrode, what about Parkinson? She and "Schulz", or whoever she really is, were obviously working together and Parkinson is a criminal.'

Bulstrode let out yet another sigh. 'I know that now. You're right it was obvious, but I initially ignored the evidence towards that fact. You're off the _Black Pug_ case and it's in my hands once again for a reason Potter...' [The Head Auror Robards had informed Potter of this fact that same morning]. '…I am planning on letting it drop eventually and you need to trust me that it's for the best.'

'But Bulstrode-' Harry started to say rather loudly.

'No "buts" Potter. You and the Aurors don't know what I know. You don't know about _her._ I am doing everyone a goddamn favour and if you knew what was good for you, then you'd do the right thing and keep your goody-goody mouth _shut_.' Bulstrode stood still for a second and Hermione heard him whisper to Harry:

'This might sound threatening but it's for your own good, your family's own good, and your friends' own good, and even wizarding Britain's own good: If I think there's a chance you'll tell anyone about Parkinson, _I will make you take an unbreakable vow_ before I let you out of my sight, _are we clear_?' Bulstrode said in a voice that was so intimating that Harry just nodded like a little boy on the naughty-step. Bulstrode started walking again and the others followed.

The rest of the walk up the stairs to the psychiatric ward was done in silence.

As the receptionist opened the doors to the psychiatric ward and let them in, Hermione noticed with a feeling of sadness a familiar head of hair and body.

There was a patient wandering around the ward in a long nightgown and Hermione knew that it was Luna Lovegood with longer and wilder hair than she'd ever seen before.

'Luna? What are you doing in here?' Bulstrode asked. He immediately started walking the witch and Luna in turn walked with shaky footsteps towards him. Hermione watched with an analytical eye and realised that Luna was incredibly unsteady on her feet and lost balance very quickly.

In a flash, Bulstrode leaped across the remaining distance to catch Luna in his arms before she fell to the floor. Luna responded by wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

'Luna, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself, angel? Why are you in here? You were in the general wards last time I saw you? Talk to me Luna. Please, please talk to me and tell me what's wrong?' Bulstrode said after they had hugged. His voice then had a caring tone to it that reminded Hermione of when her dad was worried about her growing up.

'You haven't given me the chance to talk to yet, L.' Luna said softly. Bulstrode smiled encouragingly. 'The nurses brought me in here three days ago. They looked as if they were worried about my sanity, which is funny, because I've never seen a reason to worry about it at all.' Luna replied to Bulstrode. Hermione noticed that the mass of overgrown blonde hair was covering the entirety of the left side of Luna's face.

'You never need to see a reason. There is nothing wrong with you.' Lectore Bulstrode told Luna with sincerity. He subconsciously brushed the mass of hair away from Luna's face.

Where Luna's face had been fair and pretty, now it was red and purple with angry scars that covered the left side of Luna's face (in all different sizes and angles) from her forehead to her chin. If the left side of Luna's face was to be compared by the narrator to a painting, it would be somewhat alike to the sad girl in the painting " _One Day You Will No Longer Be Loved"_ by _Jake and Dinos Chapman._ Hermione and Harry gasped, and Hermione had to flinch away at such horrific scaring.

'Luna… _your face.'_ Harry said without thinking. Hermione nudged him in the ribs.

Luna then looked at Harry, Hermione and Dennis and smiled as her hair covered her scars once more.

'It's alright, Harry. Its ugly but it is the way it is. I wish the way it is didn't make me so sad though.' Luna said.

'Luna, look at me.' Lectore Bulstrode said. Luna looked at him. Lectore then pushed her hair away from her face again. 'Your face is not ugly, and it never could be either. It is the door to your beautiful soul and there is no ugliness inside you. Not one bit, not even in your fingernails, so you can hide it if you want to, but there's no reason to be ashamed or feel sad.' He smiled at her and Luna smiled back at him.

'Thanks, Lectore.' Luna said.

'Now, I've got some business to do here. So, while I'm doing it, why don't you just take it easy and sit down on one of those sofas in that open roo over there?' Lectore Bulstrode said. Luna agreed and Lectore took her hands to help her go and sit down in what was signed as the ward's _"TV room"_ for patients.

Both Harry and Hermione looked shocked at Lectore Bulstrode's kindness towards Luna Lovegood. As the Auror who they had thought of at one time or another as a hardened rogue walked back to them as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

'You aren't fishes so you can shut your mouths, y'know?' Bulstrode said, as the receptionist continued to June Lunne-Ludlow's room, nobody mentioned the affectionate scene between Luna Lovegood and Lectore Bulstrode that had just transpired.

The receptionist opened June Lunne-Ludlow's door for them and left.

* * *

The rooms of the ward where a bland white there "decor". The inside of June Lunne-Ludlow's room there was a fragile-looking 21-year-old woman who was sat trembling on the single bed wearing a cashmere jumper with plaid pyjama-bottoms.

_That must be June Lunne-Ludlow probably the only surviving victim of The Blood Sucker. She was abducted three years ago when she was eighteen and she used to have red hair – the top half of her hair is dark blonde, and the bottom half is gingery red – like Ginny's. She looks a bit like Ginny too. The same skin tone and face shape._ Hermione thought to herself.

She noticed there were also two men with June. One man, the one that was speaking to June, was old (as shown by his receded hairline and grey tuffs of hair) and dressed in an expensive black muggle suit and tie; he sat in an armchair in front of June. The second man wore a brown-coloured t-shirt and a pair of green combat trousers. He was the far more visually interesting one to Hermione. He was perched on the bed beside June, stroking her hand; this man, resembled Lectore Bulstrode in rather uncanny ways.

Their face structures were the same, (though their noses were different) as was their eyes [except that the man in the combat trousers had an eye patch on his right eye]; they both had that same warm brown colour that reminded Hermione of hot chocolate. They had the same body structure and the same size foreheads. The main differences were their hair colour, this man's hair was dark brown and the fact that this man was clean shaved whilst Bulstrode had a moustache.

'…Dear lady, would you please eat some more food. I thought you liked tomato soup?' The man in the suit said to June Lunne-Ludlow. _He sounds as patronising as anybody can be._ Hermione thought.

June shook her head. 'It t-ttastes fun-funny.' _Poor June._

The man in the suit smiled back at her. 'That's because it is not the factory-made rubbish you get in the supermarkets. My wife made it especially for you, June.' The man said before taking the plastic-spoon out of June's hand. The suited man then dipped the spoon in the soup and brought it to June's lips.

June shook her head again, but the man held the spoon to her lips until she opened them and accepted the soup. _He really creeps me out._

Harry cleared his throat. 'Excuse me, sorry, but we're here to ask you a few questions, June. I'm Harry, Harry Potter. And we're kind of like, um, detectives.' Harry said, introducing himself to them for the first time.

'I know who and what you are, Mr Potter.' The suited man said as he spooned more soup into June's mouth. The suited man turned to face them. 'I am Sir Humphrey Rosier. I am a squib and proud member of the British Muggle government's Civil Service. I have been overlooking Miss Lunne-Ludlow's care and was the one who put her in this hospital in the first place. Anything you need to ask of June, you can freely ask of me.' The suited man told them with a plummy and authoritative voice. The man in the combat trousers stared at the visitors, more specifically he looked at Lectore Bulstrode.

'You're a Bluragon, aren't you?' The man in the combat trousers said.

Bulstrode visibly tensed. 'No one has called me by that name in over a decade. How do you know that?' Bulstrode asked with a hard but curious tone.

The man shrugged. 'You look a bit like me. If you're the age I think you are, then you must be my first cousin.' The man in combat trousers said, before standing up to shake Bulstrode's hand. 'I'm Rick Silver. But I was born Saffrick Silverimp: I'm the illegitimate child of Unity Silverimp, and a Slytherin Half-Blood, as well as a proud Colonel of the [muggle] British Army.' The man in the combat trousers said and gave Bulstrode a firm handshake.

Bulstrode gave him a look that Hermione read as Bulstrode saying: _"so, what are you doing here?"_ 'I am here as a friend to Miss June. Sir Humphrey and I are friends. He introduced me.'

'Well then, Mr Silver, if you and your friend can please give us some privacy to question Ms Lunne-Ludlow that would be much appreciated.' Bulstrode said.

Sir Humphrey Rosier looked Bulstrode straight in the eyes.

'I'm afraid I cannot do that. As you can clearly see, Miss June is in a very fragile condition and I don't want you upsetting her.' Sir Humphrey said adamantly. Hermione heard Katana sigh from behind her.

Faith Katana suddenly had her sword pointed at Sir Humphrey Rosier.

'The only one I see upsetting her is _you._ You are treating her like a child and an object.' Katana said. Bulstrode stepped around to grasp her shoulders and draw her away from Rosier.

'Katana. Keep cool. We have a job to do.' Lectore Bulstrode told his associate. He then looked back at Sir Humphrey Rosier, who was shaking in his oxford shoes. 'Now then, _Mr_ Rosier, you were saying…?'

'I-I was saying ... I will be just outside, June.' Sir Humphrey Rosier said.

'W-wait, I-I want Rick to stay with me.' June said. Rick Silver, who had stood to leave, turned around and sat back on the bed where his hand rested once more on June's hand.

'Very well.' Sir Humphrey said coldly as he went to stand outside the door.

Bulstrode took the seat where Sir Humphrey Rosier had sat. 'Okay. Ms June first things first, do you mind telling me where you were when you were abducted by the man known as The Blood Sucker – the one who took you – or even just how you escaped.' Bulstrode asked – his voice held authority, but it was compassionate as well.

'I d-d-d-don't kn-nnow.' June stuttered with a mouse-like squeak. 'I di-didn't s-s-see an-an-a-an-any o-of i-i-t-t.' June went on. Tears swelled in June's eyes and fat teardrops fell down her pale cheeks as she spoke. Hermione didn't know how it was possible that June didn't "see any of it" but she did know that as she watched June shiver like a leaf in the autumn wind – _I believe her. I believe she's telling the truth._ June looked so broken that it was impossible not to trust her.

'I w-w-wo-woke up i-i-in a h-ho-ho-hotel b-b-bed a-a-after I w-w-was taken o-o-on th-the w-w-way h-ome f-ff-from y-y-uni. I d-d-don't kn-no-now w-w-what h-h-app-end a-after th-that.' June's forehead creased as Hermione witnessed the young woman try to recall events that – to simply put it – she just could not recall.

'June, it's okay. You can tell us anything, it's fine if you didn't see any of it or if you don't know what you saw. You can tell us. You can tell me. I'm a therapist June so I think I'll be able to understand what's going on with you.' Hermione said softly as she came closer to the bed where June was sat.

June looked up at Hermione and her scared eyes met Hermione's compassionate ones.

'I-I-I d-d-d-d-don't kn-n-nn-nn-now, bb-but _she_ does.' June told Hermione. Hermione noted that June's stuttering was seemingly getting worse. June then closed her watery blue eyes and whispered:

' _Enchantress.'_

All of a sudden, the room went as cold as ice and everyone shivered with the temperature drop. The room was also duller as the light from the windows seemed to be blocked by something. All except for June Lunne-Ludlow who had stopped shivering, were trembling in fear. June had went utterly still, going so far as to stop breathing.

Hermione observed June as a shadowy figure appeared out of nowhere behind June's shoulders. The shadowy figure had hands as big as any mans hands and used those hands to grasp June's shoulders. The shadowy figure then pulled back on June's slender, small-framed, shoulders and soon broad masculine shoulders were there in place of June's.

June was gone.

The shadowy figure was no longer a shadowy figure at all.

There was a creature in June's place on the bed. The creature had unnaturally white skin (the colour of a blank sheet of paper) but an otherwise human-like face, shoulders and arms but what would be the rest of the human body was replaced by a black cloud of smoke that now covered June's bed. Hermione looked at the creature and noticed its similarities and differences to June. The first was that the creature did not have pupils or iris, _in fact their eye sockets look like two black holes without eyes at all._ Hermione thought. The creature had a freckle-less feminine face with a soft jawline exactly like June's, but their nose was bigger, and they had an obvious eyebrow ridge whereas June didn't (so far as Hermione could tell). The creature's hair was raven-coloured and long, but their hairline was far higher than June's dark blonde hairline. Like June the creature's neck showed no visible Adam's apple. The creature also shared the exact same shape, size, and colour of June's lips. The creature arms were more muscular than June's and their hands were just as big as they had been since the creature had been a shadowy figure, but Hermione could see their sharp claw-like fingernails.

' _Hanging village._ ' The creature said. The creature's voice had the same pitch as June's but there was no stutter and it had an echo-like quality to it. The kind of voice that haunts you in your worst nightmares when you are an influential child.

'W-what?' Hermione said.

The creature cocked its head at Hermione and stared at her. Hermione felt as if she was looking in the eyes of The Devil on Doomsday when she met the gaze of those black holes in the creature's eye sockets. As Hermione trembled, there was a strange human-sounding murmur behind her.

Katana stepped in front of Hermione and pulled out her sword, but she did not direct it at the creature, instead Katana held the sword so it was pointing towards the ground.

The creature's black eyebrows narrowed at Katana before the creature looked back at Hermione.

'Thou seek th' _hanging village, liberi.'_ The creature said and looked at each person in the room, except for Rick Sliver. The longer the voice spoke the more shivers everyone in the room felt go up their spines.

Somebody outside the room coughed.

_'VOLO ABIRE!'_ The creature suddenly shrieked. The shriek was so terribly loud that everyone put their hands over their ears – Katana even dropped her sword to cover her own ears.

The next thing anyone in St Mungos hospital knew was that they were on the ground as the ground itself acted like the hospital was having its own private earthquake. Hermione covered her head as she heard the vase of roses that was on June's bedside crash onto carpet onto the carpet as the whole room violently shook. The wardrobe fell with a _**thud!**_ The bed creaked loudly as it rocked with the tremoring room. The light bulb on the ceiling cracked, and there were screams throughout the ward.

Hermione screamed herself as the double-gazed window next to her smashed.

She then braved and looked back up from the quaking ground at the creature – it was no longer a creature – it had retransformed into a shadowy figure, only this time June Lunne-Ludlow was looking lifeless as her body was sprawled across the bed, her cashmere jumped was then ripped and her shoulders were bare. The shadowy figure was attached to June's forehead by the tail-like end of its black, cloud-like, form.

There were loud footsteps as Sir Humphrey Rosier came into the doorway of the room.

' _A_ _lea iacta est_ – is that what you want?' Sir Humphrey demanded as he observed the creature.' Sir Humphrey pulled out a red stone from his suit pocket. 'You cannot survive without your host. Your host is a non-magical human – an earthquake will surely kill her and therefore you too. You won't live. Not without this.'

The creature lunged at Sir Humphrey, but Sir Humphrey was faster – he moved back. Although Humphrey's back was at the wall opposite June's room, the creature had to stop at the doorway.

The earthquake stopped. Hermione's first reaction was sweet relief. Bulstrode was beside her instantly as he helped her stand up. When Hermione looked back up again, the creature and the shadowy figure was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was June.

'Luna!' Bulstrode exclaimed and ran from June's room.

Hermione looked around and saw Harry by June's body looking for a pulse.

'She is not dead, Mr Potter. June is merely asleep. I put sedatives in her soup. The creature you saw still resides within her, but it has become weary as it is unused to the dangers of the world and the vulnerability of its muggle host. It is best you all leave as I fear you all shall faint at another sight of the creature.' Sir Humphrey Rosier said calmly.

'What was that thing?' Dennis asked.

'How did you make it disappear?' Katana asked.

'What is that stone in your hand?' Harry asked.

'None of these things matter to you. You must go now – _for your own sakes.'_ Sir Humphrey Rosier said with emphasis.

'I'm staying with June.' Argued Rick Silver. He moved to June Lunne-Ludlow's bed, sat down, and pulled the unconscious young woman into his arms as he tenderly kissed her face.

Hermione, Harry, Dennis, and Katana on the other hand, got out of there as fast as they possibly could. Part of the reason was they heard Lectore Bulstrode shouting in the corridor of the ward.

… 'I don't give a **shit** who you are or what your name is! Luna Lovegood is not staying in this – this _freakshow_ of a hospital a minute longer. She's twisted her ankle because you're housing a _demon from hell_ amongst your patients! Not to mention she looks underfed, wearing the same nightgown she has been wearing for three days in a row [Bulstrode had seen Luna wearing the same clothes for days on end four times by now and the hospital still did nothing]. No, if you want to keep your testicles and keep on being a healer then you better sign this discharge form releasing her into _my_ care **right now!** _Healer White.'_ Bulstrode shouted loudly to a very young healer. If Bulstrode wasn't carrying Luna in his arms in that moment, then Hermione wouldn't be surprised if he was squaring up to the young man. Hermione took one look at the healer and recognised him as Isaac White. Isaac was a Ravenclaw muggleborn in Dennis Creevey's year that once expressed an interest in being a member of her S.P.E.W organisation.

'B-b-but I-I'm just an intern-' Isaac White stammered. Bulstrode lowered his wand to his testicles.

'Lectore, stop!' Katana yelled. Hermione shouted 'stop!' too, as Harry and Dennis didn't know what to say. Hermione later thought Luna would have stopped him too if she hadn't been so preoccupied with hissing in pain.

Isaac quickly snatched the letter out of Bulstrode's other hand and hurriedly scribbled down the necessary details on the discharge form.

After three minutes, Isaac handed the discharge form back to Bulstrode who analysed it carefully. 'Y-you are now Luna Lovegood's legal g-guardian in the eyes of this hospital.' Isaac told Bulstrode.

'I knew you could be reasoned with, Isaac. Good man.' Bulstrode said and with that walked away from the healer and out of the hospital. The rest of the group followed him out to his black Jaguar sports car. Hermione noted that the car had been magically expanded so more than four people could sit in it (but it looked like your average four-seater car from the outside).

'Get in.' Bulstrode commanded to them all as he placed Luna into the front passenger seat. Hermione and the others climbed into the back of Bulstrode's car.

'Where are we going?' Luna asked her voice strained with pain.

'We're going to Little Hangleton, Luna.' Bulstrode answered.

'But why, sir?' Dennis asked.

'Because it's obvious that's where Ginevra Potter is, Dennis. Weren't you listening?' Everybody apart from Bulstrode looked confused. 'June Lunne-Ludlow mentioned that she woke in a hotel before blacking out: the demon from _The Exorcist_ inside her said we "seek the hanging village". I will bet you my entire inheritance the only reason "fragile June" got away alive was because that _monster_ inside of her wanted to live and escaped the Blood Sucker. Also, Little Hangleton is a village and its one where fucking Voldemort was born. If the Blood Sucker has decided to be a poetic psychopathic monster, then what better place to kill Ginevra Potter than the village where evil incarnate was created?' Bulstrode explained his reasoning.

'I understand now!' Hermione said along with Dennis.

'Good. Now the flight's in motion.' Bulstrode said as the Jaguar became airborne.

'Flight?' Exclaimed Hermione.

'Oh yeah. I had Mr Arthur Weasley fix this baby up for me, in exchange for a good word from me that allowed him to be a part of the board of directors at The Lucian Asylum. Believe it or not, but I actually campaigned for that horrific place to be opened.' Bulstrode said as he turned on the car's invisibility booster. Hermione noticed Luna tremble at the words "Lucian Asylum".

'Oh, and Dennis?' Bulstrode said.

'Yes, Mr Bulstrode, sir?'

'I never need to watch another crappy muggle horror movie ever again.'

'Why's that, sir?'

'Because what I just saw in that hospital has already scared me to death.' Bulstrode said. Hermione could tell he was half-joking. She tried to avoid looking at the white clouds outside the window as the car flew to Ginny Potter's rescue.

* * *

XXX

* * *

_My abductor hasn't even visited me once today. I am scared to know why – Ginny._ **** ~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: we, my readers, WILL get back to the Dramione goodness as soon as possible, but I need to resolve the 'Blood Sucker' mystery first.   
> For those who do not know what the Civil Service or a Civil Servant is, I'll give you a very basic definition in my own words – The Civil Service is the branches of state's administration. Civil Servants are there to advise politicians in the British Government, but they are stereotyped as manipulating the politicians they serve in British TV shows such as 'Yes, Minister' (1980). Yes, Sir Humphrey Rosier is inspired by Sir Humphrey Appleby (a character in 'Yes, Minister').   
> I would love to know your theories about Sir Humphrey, June, and "Enchantress", and how these characters might affect the Harry Potter universe in your reviews!   
> I didn't use June's DC comic book name ('Moone') because of the similar name 'Moon' already appearing in the Harry Potter Cannon. I wanted to make it clear that June is a muggle with no magic powers of her own in this story except for being the "Enchantress's" host.   
> Happy Reading Everyone!   
> Love,   
> Fantasticlavendercrystals xx


	14. The Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Bulstrode, Harry, Hermione and others go to a hotel to try and rescue Ginny Potter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Extremely dark subject matter ahead. Including the death of a child and implications of abuse. I do NOT condone any of this.

 

* * *

_**Chapter Fourteen – The Hotel** _

* * *

Lectore Bulstrode piloted his flying Jaguar car to the village of Little Hangleton, just as he had told Luna he would. As the village was like a holiday home for Dark Wizards of the world these days, Bulstrode already knew where the closest hotel to Tom Riddle's birthplace was. The hotel was a muggle one named _"The Laughing Gallows Hotel"._

" _HANG-leton"? "The Laughing Gallows Hotel"? This place sure has a sick sense of humour._

'Why this one, Bulstrode?' Healer Granger asked as they got out of the car. Luna stayed behind in Bulstrode's car due to her injured ankle. Bulstrode had to resist the urge to chuckle – _Granger's as white as a sheet; she must've got travel sick on the way here._

'Because loads of Dark Wizards come through this hotel according to Auror reports.' Bulstrode replied.

'But shouldn't we be sure about this? We could be losing valuable time searching the _wrong_ place!' Potter demanded.

Bulstrode sighed. 'Potter, I know this is hard for you. But this is one of those times where you need to put all your emotions aside and focus on the ultimate goal of finding your wife. If you can't do that then stay by the car. We don't have any other ideas.'

Dennis, Katana, Potter, and Granger, followed Bulstrode into the hotel's reception area. A ghostly pale woman with black hair and an eerily vacant expression is sat like a statue at the reception desk.

'Hello, my name is Mina Pierrepoint. I work at _The Laughing Gallows Hotel._ We are currently closed until further notice.' The vacant-faced receptionist said with a rather monotone voice.

_Okay, this chick's odd._

'Err, hey there. I'm Lectore Arnold Bulstrode and these are er my associates. I am a detective and we are searching for a victim of abduction. [Bulstrode showed her his genuine-looking "private detective" card] We believe she may be hidden in this hotel, so we need to take a look around.' Bulstrode told the receptionist.

'No. I am sorry, but I can't let you do that. _The Laughing Gallows Hotel_ is closed. _'_ The receptionist told him.

Bulstrode then analysed her.

This receptionist, this woman, "Mina Pierrepoint", was weird. _A little too weird._ Bulstrode thought as he looked at her vacant, dilated eyes. Then he took in her stupidly puppyish and nonchalant smile that _doesn't match the situation._ Then he took in her relaxed seated position but robotic-like posture. _This woman is clearly under the influence of a spell. But I certainly don't think she's under The Imperius Curse. But she is under something…_

Bulstrode thought about it for a split second.

'Excuse me, ma'am, but I really do need to _look around.'_ Bulstrode repeated and watched to see what would happen…

'No. I am sorry, but I can't let you do that. _The Laughing Gallows Hotel_ is closed. _'_ The receptionist said. _No._ Bulstrode instinctively stepped back from her.

_This woman is under a Memory Charm, but I've only seen one with effects like this once before…_

Bulstrode didn't want to think about it. Did not want to know about it. He didn't want to acknowledge the disturbing idea. It was too dreadful for him. His feet suddenly longed to turn and make a mad dash to the exit doors and run a million miles away from there.

But Lectore Bulstrode had a lot of heart underneath a cool exterior.

He acknowledged the two words of the disturbing theory of who might be pulling the strings of the Blood Sucker puppet-show.

_Tatiana Daemonium._

* * *

XXX

* * *

_It's been two fucking days! I can't stand this hunger and I can't stand this loneliness anymore. Even if he is a bastard monster who abducted me, he's better than the insanity of isolation. If he's trying to break me, then, I hate to say this, but he's winn-_

'Are you going to be a good Gryffindor and do precisely what I say? Or do I have to ruin you?' Ginny Potter's abductor said from behind her. Ginny thought he sounded even colder and stranger than usual – _that is stranger than his usual accent._ Ginny placed as this accent as being from Western Europe (but she didn't know enough about accents or geography to be sure). But what sounded stranger than usual was that he sounded emotionless. Normally he sounded angry or even affectionate in a creepy sort of way. Ginny realised that he frightened her more when there was an undercurrent of determination in his cold voice.

Ginny answered by nodding but did not turn around to face him: she didn't want to see an expression that matched that cold voice, as he already had the most sinister smile she had ever seen since Voldermort.

'Did you take a bath, Ginny?' The abductor asked the captive.

She nodded again. She no longer had the power of speech, as she had not had any water that day. Two of the abductor's rules was that she was to wear a white nightgown and bathe daily. Ginny hadn't really thought about it before then but when she did think about it – _it's odd he's never checked or watched me bathe, for all he knows I could try to drown myself in the bathtub and he'd have no one anymore._

'Good Gryffindor.' The abductor said. He then snapped his fingers. Ginny knew what that meant. She had to turn around – and she did. _Just like a well-trained dog – Merlin, I HATE MYSELF._

Ginny looked up from the double bed where she sat to see the face of her abductor. _He still has the thirteen huge scars across his face, like a tally chart – but those bloody damn eyes – I know those eyes from somewhere._ Ginny thought. She tried to think about it, but she had never seen her abductor up close before. She preferred to avoid eye contact with him altogether if she could help it.

'Today is a very sacred and special day for us both, immortal darling.' The abductor told Ginny. He then raised his hand and shakily used his index-finger to trace Ginny's cheekbone. He rarely ever touched and when he did he was always a shaking mess, still Ginny shivered at the touch – _why does it have to feel so good to have somebody touch me after all this time, even if it is my kidnapper?_

Her eyes away snapped away from him as she felt ashamed at herself for reacting in such a way.

The next thing Ginny knew was that there was a satin-soft material around her eyes. She was blinded. And then she felt his hot breath on her ear. 'If you scream, I will kill you and anyone who has ever loved you.' He didn't say it like she'd expect a monster to threaten her – he said it as a simple fact.

Ginny was lifted into the arms of her abductor without warning and she squeaked in surprise. The abductor jerked her violently as punishment for her seemingly _negative_ response.

The sound of a few footsteps and two different doors opening and closing course through Ginny's ears before she felt the heat of a harsh light. There was a revolting smell that made her feel nauseous, but she couldn't tell where it was coming from.

That's when Ginny felt herself being placed on her side onto something that was firm but cotton-soft.

The abductor then removed what was revealed to be an eye mask from Ginny's face and Ginny raised her head to look around. She was on a backless white divan that blended in with her nightgown. The room she was in was magnolia in colour just like her previous "hotel room", but it had been decorated with wide white screens. Her abductor then reappeared in front of her, but as always, he was a few paces away from her person.

* * *

XXX

* * *

'Alright Mina, you're going to listen to me and only me, and you're going to do what you're allowed to do, do you understand?' Bulstrode said as he approached the receptionist again. The receptionist faded held some hope for the very first time.

'Yes.' The receptionist said with a smile.

'Good. Now, are you allowed to take me to the penthouse or whatever the equivalent is in this hotel, if I order you to?'

'There are no rules against it.' The receptionist said.

_Bingo,_ Lectore Bulstrode thought.

'I order you to take me to this hotel's penthouse or its equivalent as quick as you can.' Bulstrode said, and as he expected, the receptionist grabbed his arm at an alarmingly fast rate and started running like an athlete to the hotel's stairs, pulling Bulstrode with her.

They went up six flights of stairs before they reached the penthouse and Bulstrode by that time was sympathising with asthmatic sufferers as his lungs were gasping for air.

The receptionist stood in front of the doors to the penthouse as still as a statue. Bulstrode understood why – _she's followed her orders and now she stands in line waiting for the next one – damn you Tatiana._

Potter, Granger, and Dennis had come up the stairs behind them. Potter and Dennis each open one of the double doors to the penthouse.

Bulstrode gets a little bit of his breath back and rushes inside. The spacious room has a luxury king-size bed with what looks to be a person inside.

He approaches the bed and notes how the red bedspread is dark enough to disguise any small trace of blood. He grabbed the bedspread, the duvet and the sheets, and yanked them back with force.

But there was nothing and no-one.

The king-size bed held only an abundance of fluffy white pillows that had somehow ended up resembling a person when covered with piles of bedclothes.

Bulstrode didn't ponder much on the disappointment and shock of his suspicions being incorrect as he scanned the room with his eyes for more clues. Around ten seconds later he noticed four delves in the plush carpet leading towards the king-size bed, and he knew those delves must have been created from where an object had previously been.

_Those delves in carpet must have been from a cabinet, or a table, or something…_

'Bulstrode what are we doing? We're wasting time. This woman can't be any help to us because she's under The Imperius Curse.' Potter said and Bulstrode wanted to bang both his own head and Potter's against a brick wall.

'No, Potter, she's under a complex Memory Charm, the nature of which is too complicated to explain to you properly, but the main thing is the receptionist cannot answer questions but she can follow orders.' Bulstrode said as he continued to studied the delves.

'What are you looking at?' Healer Granger asked as she then stood beside Bulstrode.

'I'm looking to see if somebody has moved something out of this room, and if so what is it?' Bulstrode explained.

Healer Granger stared at the delves too. 'I think it might be a sofa of some sort. The delves look like there from the legs of a sofa.' Granger said.

'That makes sense.' Dennis said. 'It says in the leaflet that the hotel penthouse suite comes with a divan.' Dennis said and Bulstrode looked to see his partner pointing at a broacher.

Bulstrode nodded and went outside the room to the receptionist in the hallway.

'There's been a divan moved to another part of the hotel. Take me to its location.' Bulstrode ordered the receptionist.

* * *

XXX

* * *

Ginny watched her captor with the gaze of a zebra watching a lion.

'What's that _smell?'_ Ginny asked and pinched her nose as she was unfortunate enough to inhale the smell that was even worse than rotting bacon. The smell alone was enough to make Ginny not wish to look around any further,

'I've been waiting for this for a long time.' Her abductor began. 'I've been trying to find you, approach you, but there has never been the right opportunity.'

Ginny remained quiet but her eyebrow raised as she waited for him to continue.

The abductor moved towards her at such a speed that she couldn't help but flinch when he perched himself beside her legs. Ginny felt her heart begin to pounce once again within her chest.

'Don't you remember me, beloved? Of course, you don't. For we were both very different people back then, and you've probably forgotten all about it, since you started your insouciant life with Potter…'

Ginny stared at the side profile of her abductor's face. 'My life with Harry hasn't been insouciant. We've had to overcome a lot of stuff together which _someone_ like _you_ could never understand -' She screamed.

Her abductor had twisted her foot with extreme force.

'I understand plenty, so much more than you, my dear innocent, naïve Ginny can ever understand.' Her abductor snarled as Ginny cried out in pain. But then he released her foot and reached to stroke her hair. 'But that's your beauty, darling, you don't understand anything, and thus you're so innocent because of that.' Her abductor said as he caressed her hair like she'd expect a lover to do. 'You're really still just that girl who came crying to me about her cursed diary.' The abductor stated.

The pieces of the puzzle suddenly came together in Ginny's mind as her eyes widened at the sight of her abductor.

'Look at me. Please, please look at me.' Ginny said very quickly. The man twitched but didn't turn towards her. 'Please, look at me. Look at me. Look at me.' Ginny begged, desperate to know the truth.

Then he turned to her and moved closer and she realised who it was.

'Blaise _Zabini_!'

* * *

XXX

* * *

Harry Potter followed Lectore Bulstrode down the stairs and through the maze of corridors of the hotel with a mixture of desperation and hope in his heart. Harry knew his body was operating on autopilot at that point. There were so many thoughts rushing through this head that he couldn't think straight.

 

' _Do you Ginevra Molly Weasley,_

_Vow to take Harry James Potter,_

_To Love and to Cherish,_

_In Both Sickness and Health,_

_For Richer and For Poor,_

_With all Perfections and Faults,_

_For as long as you both shall live?'_

 

' _Yes!' Ginny exclaimed. Through the white mesh of her veil, I could see her lovely brown eyes dance in their sockets as she forgot the correct lines in her excitement. Ginny put her gloved hand to her lips as she realised her slip-up, but I took her hand in mine before her fingers could even reach her lips. I stroked that silky soft glove and I remember how much he wished that, instead of silk, I could hold Ginny's hot soft hand. 'I mean, I do.' Ginny corrected herself with a giggle._

 

_Ginny's giggle faded into a different mental image,_

_The image of her screaming, a piercing scream,_

_And then Ginny was gone,_

_Out of her off-the-shoulder white dress,_

_Out of her mesh train,_

_Now in tatters of rags, the colour of mud_

_Washed up on the river banks,_

_Her neck ripped apart by something unknown,_

_Dead._

 

Hot tears flooded down Harry's face as he followed the hotel receptionist and Bulstrode to find Ginny, to find his wife, or whatever remained of her.

'Harry, it's alright. We're going to figure this out, Harry. We'll find her.' Hermione told him. But when Harry turned to his best friend, he could see the tears of doubt in her eyes too. Nobody knew if they were "going to figure this out" nor did they know if they were going to "find her". They had hunches and suspicions amongst them but no certainties whatsoever.

_I hate it when girls cry; Ginny never cried. She was always so brave. A true Gryffindor._ Harry thought, as his mind continued to retreat back into the memories that his mind was using to keep him sane…

' _You may now kiss the bride.'_

_Ginny's hands went to the veil covering her face, but I beat her to the chase, and pulled the veil away, before putting his lips to hers, in a fashion that was much too passionate for a wedding with multiple eyes watching. But I was in love and so I just didn't_ care. Harry recalled as he continued on in the hopes of finding his Ginny.

_From that excited kiss with the muggle-like promises of happily ever after, to that first awkward kiss in the Room of Requirement, it hurts worse than hell to think that I'll never see her again, never kiss her again, I don't know what I'd do._

Harry was on the verge of a mental breakdown as they finally arrived at a hallway that had an increasing stench of death surrounding it. The receptionist took them to a door at the bottom of the corridor, where the smell of decay was knocking them all nauseous.

'The moment of truth.' Bulstrode breathed although his breath was bated. Harry had his hands on that doorknob as fast as he could.

* * *

XXX

* * *

Ginny Potter's abductor burst into rare emotion as tears fell from his eyes. 'You finally recognise me! After all this time! Oh, there is mercy in the world.' Zabini cried as he reached to stroke her cheek. 'Oh, you will be all the sweeter to taste!' Zabini said in a low but excited tone of voice.

Ginny jumped back in fright, suddenly altogether aware of the absolute danger she was in as she saw the metal _fangs_ that replaced his teeth in the time that he had placed her in this room.

'Why? Why are you doing this, Blaise?' She demanded through her tears. Her heart was beating like thunder and she was shaking so much as he continued to stare at her. As she watched her captor however, she began to notice he was crying with her.

'You don't understand, Ginny.' She felt a little stunned at his use of her forename, which was not used that often. 'I am _cursed._ By a very evil person. I am cursed to drink the blood of girls like you, because – because – because I wouldn't do it the first time.' Zabini told her. Ginny looked at him, confused.

'What do you mean, "you wouldn't do it the first time."' Ginny asked.

'I wouldn't do it the first time, for my initiation.' Zabini replied. 'I couldn't kill the muggle girl that looked like you. Because at the time it was too unbearable, and now I'm paying the price. I am cursed to do what I couldn't do then.' Zabini said and he looked away from her.

'I wish I didn't have to. I wish I could just end my miserable and evil existence right now but this curse…this evil, horrendous curse prevents me from doing that.' Zabini said and Ginny witnessed his shoulder hunch over as his body convulsed with uncontrollable sobs. It seemed to last for an eternity as Ginny watched from her awkward side-position on the divan as her captor sobbed, wondering what to think as she watched him break down.

_He's not lying. He's sounds as if he's telling the truth, or maybe he's just mad. What other explanation is there for his behaviour?_ Ginnythought in conclusion. _If he really has been cursed then he deserves pity more than anything. Perhaps if I show him some kindness he might spare me?_

Ginny sat up timidly and reached over to Zabini.

However, a second after Ginny placed her hand on his spine, Zabini pounced towards her. His hands were suddenly locked onto her fragile shoulders. Ginny screamed in shock. Zabini didn't look at her again as he bit her in the neck with the metal fangs in his mouth, before he began ripping her flesh apart in a fashion that even a werewolf would find grotesque.

By the time he dropped her body back onto the divan, Ginny could only hear the door creak open loudly as a white flash of light blinded her eyes.

* * *

XXX

* * *

The stink of death had been so strong that Lectore Bulstrode was almost sick when it entered his nostrils, and his partner Dennis Creevey actually vomited at the smell.

Inside the hotel room, a makeshift photography studio had been set up and beyond that there was a white-coloured open coffin in the far corner of the room. A white photoshoot backdrop covered most of the room, with a white divan with gold legs was placed in the centre of it, and Ginny Potter's body was placed upon that divan. Harry Potter, of course, had immediately ran to his wife's aid.

At the left of the white backdrop, a man dressed in black muggle clothes was stood with a large camera angled to point at Ginny. Bulstrode was shocked to see a man rather than a woman for a moment, _but there's no time to ponder the thought._

Bulstrode immediately yelled _'Stupefy!_ ' at the man. The man halted and fell to the ground unconscious.

* * *

XXX

* * *

The emotions that Harry Potter felt as he opened that hotel room door and caught a glimpse of Ginny's fiery red hair. Joy and relief were the first emotions, but then despair took over when he saw the wounds on her neck: _it's like she's been_ _ **mauled**_ _by an animal!_

Harry immediately went over to her side, ignoring everything else around him. He pointed his wand at her wounds. He murmured considerable healing spells he had learned during his Auror training. Soon Hermione was at his side and helping him cast the healing spells that eventually healed Ginny's wounds until they were just ugly red scars on her skin.

'You're going to be alright now, Ginny. You're going to be alright.' Harry said over and over, stroking her hair soothingly. Ginny's eyes fluttered open.

'Harry.' Ginny breathed. 'You came for me.' Ginny said and threw her arms around him.

Behind the reunited couple, there was chaos.

* * *

XXX

* * *

Bulstrode went towards the white coffin in the corner. He had a horrid suspicion about who it could be, but that suspicion was nothing compared to the reality of what was inside.

Inside was the decaying corpse of a small child with red hair who looked in death to be no older than ten years old because she was so thin, as if she had been starved to death – but the morbid neck wound proved otherwise.

'Jesus fucking Christ.' Bulstrode exclaimed.

Bulstrode knew then that the corpse belonged to the thirteen-year-old missing muggle schoolgirl, Rosalie Evans.

* * *

XXX

* * *

At Bulstrode's exclamation, Harry pulled away from Ginny out of a sense of duty to see to whatever danger they would have to face next. When Harry walked over to the white coffin he realised there was no danger, only tragedy.

Inside the coffin was a young girl with a face itself had lost all colour and was starting to decay. Her skin was grey at that point but Harry imagined it had been fair when she was alive and her cheekbones were high and had the faintest freckles dotted upon them. The young girl's hair, although lifeless and limp, was red and went down to her waist. The similarities were too much, almost uncanny, and suddenly Harry forgot that this was unknown child to him, and he suddenly felt as if he was looking at the lifeless younger version of Lily J. Potter.

Harry then turned and pointed the wand at the _stupefied_ man, the murderer, with the word _'Avada'_ on his tongue.

'NO HARRY! _**DON'T!**_ ' Ginny screamed from behind him. The words died on Harry's lips as he looked towards his wife's voice.

'He doesn't deserve it! Harry!' Ginny shouted. 'Nobody deserves that.' Ginny continued as she stumbled up off the divan. Hermione put her arm around Ginny's shoulder so the latter witch wouldn't fall over.

Ginny, despite Hermione's best efforts to restrain her from doing so, continued to try and walk towards Harry, who still had his wand pointed at _the bastard_ that had taken her and destroyed the lives of many others.

Ginny somehow managed to reach him and she once again she put her arms around him. 'Don't become a monster yourself, Harry, don't come a monster for anyone.' Ginny whispered into his ear and she kept repeating that line over and over again.

_He's right there. I can make him pay for hurting everyone, for killing this girl, as well as all the other women, I can make him pay for hurting Gin._ But then Harry decided to look into Ginny's pleading eyes and then he truly listened to her words: _don't._

Harry let his wand drop. He listened to Ginny. He pulled her closer and embraced her with love and relief suddenly being the only emotions inside his heart.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: The good news is Ginny Potter is finally SAVED!
> 
> More on the aftermath in hopefully the near future. I decided to end it here and post this chapter now on its own to give my readers time to take the events all in. In future chapters I will explain more about Zabini's motives. What did you think about him being the murderer?
> 
> Please, my readers, let me know what you think about Ginny's rescue and Harry's decision? Do you agree with his decision or do you disagree? Review and let me know!
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> Love,
> 
> Fantasticlavendercrystals xx
> 
> P.S. I changed the genre to indicate this story's overall style and themes. It is still a story about Dramione, with subplots.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Please leave some comments and tell me what you think if you want more of this story posted here on archiveofourown.  
> Happy reading!  
> Fantasticlavendercrystals


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